Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry

CHAP. XXI.

Vers. 1. THe kings heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water; he turneth it whithersoever he will. ] That is, As husbandmen and others do carry the water of rivers by trenches, water-courses and pipes, into their grounds, or elsewhere which way they please; or rather, As God by his Providence turneth the rivers, sometimes one way and sometimes another, and sometimes causeth them to turn backward a quite contrary way to that wherein they were before going, as seemeth good in his own eyes; so doth he also turn about the thoughts, affections and desires, even of kings themselves, to will and nill what he will have them, sometimes for the benefit, sometimes to the hurt of their subjects, and often contrary to what they had determined. And this is noted as most remarkable in kings, because by reason of their great power and pride, they seem able to do almost what they please, and are usually so violent and head-strong in their resolutions, that there is no diverting them from what they have purposed or said they will do; being herein indeed like the heady and violent streams of some great rivers, that carry all before them with unresistable fury; whereas yet notwithstanding they have not so much as their own wills at their own disposing, but God over-rules them as he pleaseth.

Vers. 2. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, &c.] See the Notes chap. 14.12. and 16.2.

Vers. 3. To do justice and judgment, &c.] To do unto all men that which is every way equal and just; and that not out of any carnal affections, but out of true judgment and approbation of justice: is more acceptable to the Lord then sacrifice ; that is, then any of the services enjoined by the ceremonial law, and consequently then any outward act of God's worship enjoined by the moral law, such as prayer and hearing the word, &c. and that because God doth more delight in the solid and substantial services enjoined by the law, then in those that are merely external and ceremonial, and because he is better pleased with those duties that are profitable to men, then with those that seem more immediately to have respect unto himself.

Vers. 4. An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked is sin. ] The difficulty of this Proverb lies chiefly in the last clause. Some of our best Expositors do literally understand by the plowing of the wicked, their laboring in their particular callings; which they say is sin in them, because unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, Tit. 1.15. And thus they make the drift of this Proverb to be, the setting forth of the misery of wicked men, by showing that in all things they do they sin against God; not only in those things which are simply evil in themselves, such as are their proud thoughts and high looks, their ambitious aspiring after things that are too high for them, but also in all their natural and civil actions, which not being evil in themselves, yet become sin to them; and that because the men being evil, nothing can be good that proceeds from them, as a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit, Matth 7.18. By the wickedness, the pride & other filthy corruptions that are in their hearts, all their actions must needs be defiled. But then by the plowing of the wicked some do understand figuratively the plots and projects and busy endeavors of wicked men; for which see the Note Job 4.8: & that these are said to be sin, because they are all for some sinful practice or other, yea for many and manifold sins and mischiefs: and indeed it may be rather understood of the mischief they endeavor to do, because men in their pride care not what mischief they do; yea and this is elsewhere called plowing, Psal. 129.3. The plowers plowed upon my back, they made long their furrows. As for that translation of this clause, which is set in the margin of our Bibles, and the light of the wicked is sin, if that be received, then the meaning must be, either 1. that wicked men are wont to glory in their sin; so far are they from hiding and bewailing their sins, that they exalt themselves therein, as counting it their only splendor and glory: or 2. that their wisdom and quick-sightednesse in all affairs, wherein they are wont proudly to vaunt themselves, tends to sin, and carries them into many sinful courses: or 3. that their good works, though they make a splendid show before men, are an abomination to the Lord: or 4. that their endeavoring to exalt themselves, and to be eminently conspicuous above others, is sin: or 5. that their great prosperity & pomp and glory in the world, wherein they much pride themselves, is an occasion of much sin to them.

Vers. 5. The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness, &c.] That is, when a man doth wisely beforehand think and contrive how to manage his affairs, if he do afterwards diligently prosecute what he hath contrived, he must needs grow rich: but of everyone that is hasty only to want ; that is, the thoughts of those that are hasty to be rich, see the Note chap. 20.21. or of those that rashly do what ever comes into their minds, without any counsel or deliberation about it, must needs bring them to poverty.

Vers. 6. The getting of treasures by a lying tongue, is a vanity tossed to and fro, &c.] That is, Treasures gotten by a lying tongue are a vain thing, they no way do good either to them or theirs, nor ever continue with them, but are like dust, or chaff, or smoke, that is scattered by the wind this way and that, till it be brought to nothing; see the Notes chap. 10.2. and 13.11: of them that seek death ; to wit, both temporal and eternal.

Vers. 7. The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them, &c.] It is in the Hebrew, shall saw them, or dwell with them, whereby is meant, that their punishments should be both terrible, and continual: terrible, not only because of the severity of God's judgments, but also because terrors of conscience should, as it were, saw and tear and grate their spirits; and continual, because, though their wealth gotten by robbery continued not with them, yet the guilt & punishment of their sin should keep fast hold of them and abide with them: because they refuse to do judgment ; to wit, in the seat of justice (and if this be taken so, then the robbery of the wicked in the foregoing clause is the oppression of unjust judges, who are indeed the great robbers) or, because they will not do that which is just and right; they sin not therein through ignorance and infirmity, but wittingly and willingly, and being reproved they will not give it over.

Vers. 8. The way of man is froward, &c.] That is, The way of man in his natural estate, being left unto himself, is crooked & sinful; see the Notes chap. 3.32. 2 Sam. 22.27. and Job 5.13: and strange ; that is, contrary to all right reason, and no way agreeable to the word of God; strange from what it was, in the state of innocence, or what it should be. Or it may be said to be strange, because in choosing such ways, men choose darkness rather then light, and death rather then life eternal.

Vers. 9. It is better to dwell in a corner of the house-top, &c.] That is, It is better to sit moping all alone upon the top of an house (see the Note Deut. 22.8.) where a man must needs be exposed to all injuries of the weather, heat and cold, wind and rain, thunder and lightening, yea upon the battlements there, or to be penned up in some narrow corner there, so that he can no way stir to avoid the inconveniencies above-said: then with a brawling woman in a wide house, or, as it is in the Hebrew, a house of society ; that is, in a fair goodly house, and where there is a great deal of company, to wit, because though that be comfortable in itself, yet it is to such a woman an occasion of the more brawling. So that Solomon's aim herein might be to show, that a brawling wife doth so overturn the end of marriage, that whereas God said at first, It is not good for man to be alone, Gen. 2.18. yet indeed it is better for a man to live alone, then to have such a wife. Yea and some conceive, that hereby also is implied, that though a man gets a wife that brings him a stately house and land for her portion, or such an estate, as that thereby he is enabled to live in a fair and spacious house, yet he had better be without it, if she proves a brawling and contentious woman.

Vers. 10. The soul of the wicked desireth evil, &c.] That is, he sinneth not ignorantly and through infirmity, but wittingly and advisedly; all his delight & desire is to do evil. Now if we thus understand this clause, then the meaning of the next clause may be this, his neighbor findeth no favor in his eyes ; that is, though his acquaintance and friends dissuade him from his wicked courses, he will not mind or regard them, but will rather mischief them, then be hindered by them. But I rather conceive that the first clause is to be understood of the wicked man's desiring to do mischief. And so I take the drift of the whole Proverb to be this: that the wicked man is out of envy or malice wholly and only bent to desire the hurt of men, or to endeavor to do mischief to men, insomuch that he will not show any mercy or kindness to his nearest friends and acquaintances, when they stand in need of it; or, that he is so set upon mischief, that he will not spare his nearest relations; or, that his neighbor, though he carrieth himself never so kindly or friendly to him, shall yet find no favor in his eyes.

Vers. 11. When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise, &c.] See the Note chap. 19.25.

Vers. 12. The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked, &c.] This may be understood many several ways. As 1. that he considereth in what danger the wicked man is, together with his family and posterity, & how he may reclaim them from their evil ways: and then the next clause, but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness, implieth that all the endeavors of the righteous man to reclaim them do no good, and that therefore God at last doth utterly destroy them. Or 2. that he marks and observes their horrible wickedness, and how many are corrupted thereby, and so is careful to keep himself from being defiled by them, or having any communion with them: but then the wicked, that mind no such thing, but run on desperately in their wicked ways, God doth overthrow. Or 3. that observing how exceedingly they prosper, he considers why this should be, and concluding that hereby God hardens them in their sins, that they have their portion in this life, and that surely God will destroy them, &c. this keeps him from being offended; and the wicked indeed are at length destroyed according to his expectation. Or 4. that he observes and seriously lays to heart the fearful judgments that God at last brings upon the families of the wicked, and thereby becomes very careful to avoid their wicked ways: and thus the judgments upon wicked men do much good to the righteous, whilst the wicked themselves reap no good by them, and so are at last utterly destroyed.

Vers. 14. A gift in secret pacifyeth anger, &c.] That is, say some, it cools the zeal of a judge, when he is severely bent to cut off an offender; or generally it appeaseth the anger of those that were before highly offended: and that because as gifts are very pleasing to men, so they also testify the submission of the party that gives them; and being closely given, that takes away the shame of open receiving. Some apply this also to alms given secretly, so that a man's left hand knoweth not what his right hand doeth, Matth. 6.3. that they tend to the appeasing of God's wrath against men. And a reward in the bosom great wrath ; as if he should have said, a reward in the bosom driveth away wrath out of the bosom. But see the Note chap. 17.23.

Vers. 15. It is joy to the just to do judgment, &c.] To wit, because he delights in doing that which is just and equal, and withal knoweth that God is well-pleased with him, and will reward him for it, and so is herein comforted; and therefore indeed accordingly he shall obtain salvation: which is implied by the following opposite clause, but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity ; to wit, because they rejoice only in working iniquity.

Vers. 16. The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding, &c.] That is, say some Expositors, out of the way of true doctrine, into the crooked ways of error and heresy; or, out of the way of God's commandments, yea though it be through blindness and ignorance: shall remain in the congregation of the dead ; that is, say some, they are spiritually no better then dead men; or rather, they shall abide unto all eternity amongst the multitude of the damned, who only indeed are truly dead men; for the righteous by death have an entrance into life eternal. As they walked in their ways, and delighted in the company of such men whilst they lived, so they shall abide amongst them being dead, without any possibility of being removed into a better condition. And this is the only rest they shall have; they shall not have the least share in the rest of the faithful, but their wandering shall end at last in the restless rest of the damned unto all eternity.

Vers. 17. He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man, &c.] This may be meant of all kind of sensual pleasure, or particularly of that of feasting, because of the following words, he that loveth wine and oil, that is, dainty and costly feeding; or, by oil may be meant those exceeding costly ointments, which they used much in those eastern countries, especially at their feasts.

Vers. 18. The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, &c.] As namely, when by the punishing of some heinous offenders God's wrath is appeased, public judgments are removed, & so the righteous are preserved; as we see in the case of Achan, & Saul's sons, 2 Sa. 2 1. But see the fuller exposition of this in the Note ch. 11.8.

Vers. 19. It is better to dwell in the wilderness, &c.] To wit, in a vast and horrid place, banished as it were from all society with mankind, destitute of all necessary accommodations, where a man must live amongst venomous creatures, & wild beasts, and haply be slain and torn in pieces by them: then with a contentious and an angry woman ; which is a misery worse then death; see the Note above verse. 9.

Vers. 20. There is treasure to be desired, & oil in the dwelling of the wise, &c.] That is, store of all things requisite both for necessity and delight, see also the Note verse. 17: but a foolish man spendeth it up ; to wit, when such treasures and plenty of provisions are left him by his father or others.

Vers. 21. He that followeth after righteousness and mercy, &c.] To wit, with earnestness and perseverance, see the Note chap. 15.8: findeth life ; that is, long life here, & eternal life hereafter; righteousness, that is, a just reward from God, and as faithful dealing from men as he hath observed towards others; & honor, to wit, both here amongst men, and eternal in the heavens.

Ver. 22. A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, &c.] That is, So much is wisdom better then strength, that sometimes by the wisdom of one man a city may be taken, that is kept by many men of great might. Now though by the wise man may be meant the godly man, yet I rather think that Solomon speaks here of natural wisdom and policy.

Vers. 23. Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, &c.] To wit, from speaking anything which in wisdom and justice he ought not to speak; see the Notes also chap. 12.13. & 13.3: keepeth his soul from troubles ; that is, he keeps himself for his life from many straits & miseries, which otherwise he might have brought upon himself.

Ver. 24. Proud & haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath. ] That is, such he showeth himself thereby to be, so he deserveth to be called, & will usually be called: & so whilst he thinks his so dealing to be an honor to him it will be his reproach.

Vers. 25. The desire of the slothful killeth him, &c.] That is, his very desires, not being satisfied, because he will not work, do vex and torment him, and are even as death to him; or rather thus, his contenting himself with his vain slothful desires, whilst in the mean season, as it followeth, his hands refuse to labor, brings him to perish in penury and want.

Vers. 26. He coveteth greedily all the day long, &c.] As if he should have said, But because like a wicked wretch he will do nothing else, he will not work, therefore he hath nothing for himself, much less to give to others: but the righteous giveth, and spareth not ; that is, because out of conscience he is laborious in his calling, he not only hath sufficient for himself and his family, but he is ready also to give to others for their relief, and that bountifully and forever: for because he holds on in his labors, therefore he hath still to give to those that are in want.

Vers. 27. The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination, &c.] See the Note chap. 15.8: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind? as namely 1. when he thinks anything good enough for God, and when his sacrifice is not exactly such as God's law requireth it should be; or 2. when he offers it, that God may prosper him in any way of wickedness, or that by making such a show of piety, he may the better effect some cursed design; or 3. when his aim is only to cheat and deceive men, by making them believe that he is a very pious man, when his conscience tells him, that for his wickedness God must needs abhor both him and his service; or 4. when he seems desirous by his sacrifices to make his peace with God, and yet at the same time hath a full purpose and desire to run on in his sins; or 5. when he hopes by such services, as it were to bribe God, to give him liberty still to hold on in his lewd ways.

Vers. 28. A false witness shall perish, &c.] To clear the opposition which is implied betwixt this and the following clause, we must take it thus: He that in bearing witness doth testify what he hath neither heard nor seen, but what himself hath devised, (yea though it should be truth that he speaketh) shall certainly perish; that is, either he shall be cut off by the hand of the magistrate, or by some judgment of God, and that unto eternity; or else he shall be utterly ruined & undone, to wit, by some other severe sentence pronounced against him, whereby his mouth shall be judicially stopped, that he shall never bear witness more, or at least he shall be so discredited, that no man will hear or regard his testimony; and all this shall be, because his own tongue will discover him, by reason that such an one scarce ever speaks constantly the same thing, but will be ever and anon contradicting himself: but the man that heareth, that is, that speaketh nothing but that whereof he hath been an ear-witness (or an eye-witness) nothing but what he knoweth to be certainly truth; speaketh constantly ; that is, he is always in the same tale, and affirmeth still constantly the same thing, and that with confidence & boldness: and therefore he shall not by death, or by any judicial sentence, or by his own shame be taken off from bearing witness; yea men will be desirous to hear his testimony in any cause whatsoever. I know this Proverb is otherwise expounded by some: as 1. thus; A false witness shall perish; but the man that heareth, that is, that hearkeneth to the law of God, which doth expressly forbid all bearing of false witness against our neighbor; speaketh constantly, to wit, because he shall not perish or be cut off: or 2. thus; He that heareth others, choosing rather to hear, then to speak rashly and falsely, shall likewise be heard by others; he shall always in time and place have opportunity enough to speak, and men shall readily hearken to him. But the first exposition is clearly the best.

Vers. 29. A wicked man hardeneth his face, &c.] Some understand this Proverb particularly, with reference to the foregoing verse, of the impudency of wicked men, and the advisednesse and wariness of the upright, in bearing witness in any cause. But it is better to understand it generally: A wicked man hardeneth his face ; that is, he will impudently, without any blushing, yea though it be against the checks of his own conscience, set his countenance to out-face any man, either in denying and opposing clear truths, or in excusing or defending manifest evils; and let him be admonished or reproved, he will with a brazen face maintain his ways, not yielding to, but rather insulting over those that oppose him, and without the least remorse on he will go, like a traveler that sets his face against wind & weather, being resolved upon his journey, whatever he endures in it: But as for the upright, he directeth (or considereth) his way ; that is, he is watchful over his ways, that he may not go awry; and when he hath done amiss, being reproved, he will acknowledge his fault, repent, and amend what is amiss. The opposition betwixt the two branches of this Proverb may be conceived thus: The wicked man is impudent, and therefore careless how he walks; but the upright is sober and modest, and therefore careful rightly to order all his ways.

CHAP. XXII.

Vers. 1. A Good name is rather to be chosen then great riches, &c.] That is, a good repute and report amongst men gotten by well-doing: and loving favor rather then silver and gold ; that is, the love and respect of those amongst whom a man lives, especially of those that are for wisdom and piety and dignity eminent above others, when it is procured by that which is truly amiable and commendable in him. Now both these are preferred before great riches. 1. Because both these spring from virtue and piety, and so are the peculiar blessings of the faithful, whereas the worst of men do many times most abound in wealth. 2. Because by these much good may be obtained, which by riches cannot be gotten. Riches do often bring men into great danger; when men of good report and well-beloved shall either be free from the malice and envy and violence of men, or at least they shall find many that will be ready to aid and secure them. Again, such men usually enjoy much quiet and peace, and are free from those vexations and troubles and suits at law, wherewith rich men are continually perplexed: yea and riches and advancement in the world are many times procured by a man's good report, and the favor that he enjoyeth amongst men; whereas, on the other side, no riches can buy off infamy, nor redeem a man's reputation when it is once lost. 3. Because riches are fading transitory blessings; whereas a good name continueth, and makes a man live as it were after he is dead, and is a great honor to his children after him. And 4. because a good name and good esteem amongst men do render a man's speeches and actions the more acceptable unto men, they enable him to do much the more good in the places where he lives, & are an encouragement to others in well-doing; which riches are not.

Vers. 2. The rich & poor meet together, &c.] That is, say some, when the rich declining in their estate, & the poor by degrees growing in wealth, come at length to be of equal estates: Or thus; Though in regard of their outward condition there is a vast difference between the rich & the poor, the rich being honored, as if they were more then men, the poor despised & abused, as if they were beasts and not men; yet in many things they meet together, & are every way alike: they are both of the same nature, made after God's image, they have the same Lord & Creator, & in their birth & death are both alike, &c. And indeed the words will bear both these expositions. But yet the more obvious & ordinary exposition I take to be the best, to wit, that the rich & poor, because there are both of the one & the other in all places, according to that Mat. 26.11. ye have the poor always with you, do often occasionally meet together, & converse one with another, yea they do usually seek out one another, as having mutually need one of another: the Lord is the maker of them all ; that is, they are all his creatures, & it is God that makes the one rich and the other poor; and that in great wisdom, because without this difference in men's outward condition, human societies could not subsist: see the Note chap. 14.31. And this is added to imply, that as the poor ought not to envy or malign the rich, so neither should the rich grow proud, despise or oppress the poor.

Vers. 3. A prudent man foreseeth the evil, &c.] To wit, the mischief that is like to befall him in any way he is going, or action he is undertaking; or the evil which his enemies have plotted to bring upon him, (as indeed wicked men are usually seeking the ruin of the righteous;) or rather the judgments of God approaching, whether private or public, which he discovers beforehand by observing the wickedness committed, & meditating on the judgments threatened, or by taking notice of some present signs & discoveries of God's indignation: & hideth himself ; to wit, by abandoning such wicked ways and company, by putting himself through faith & prayer under the shelter of God's protection, & by using all lawful means to avoid the evil feared: but the simple pass on, & are punished ; to wit, as not foreseeing or not regarding the evil they are in danger of; see the Note chap. 14.16. But to all this some add, that Solomon speaks of a prudent man foreseeing danger, in the singular number, but of simple ones that only mind present things, in the plural, to imply, that there are multitudes of these, but few of those that foresee dangers and hide themselves.

Vers. 5. Thorns & snares, &c.] In the foregoing verse it is said, that By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches & honor & life: & now in opposition thereto this is added, Thorns & snares are in the way of the froward ; that is, wicked men do usually meet with many inextricable plagues & miseries in their ways; see the Notes upon Job 18.8, 9, 10. Or, by the thorns in the way of the wicked may be particularly meant, the stinging terrors of conscience they many times undergo; and by the snares in their way may be meant, that they are continually entangled in the snares & temptations of the devil & the wicked world, yea that all things, good as well as bad, prosperity as well as adversity, are as snares and stumbling-blocks unto them; or that they are so entangled in their wickedness, that they cannot leave it, being herein, as the Apostle speaks, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, 2 Pet. 2.12. He that doth keep his soul, that is, he that doth carefully watch over the safety of his soul; shall be far from them, that is, will avoid their wicked ways, not so much as coming near the occasions thereof. Or, He that doth keep his soul, to wit, from their wicked ways, shall be far from them, that is, from the fore-mentioned thorns and snares. Yet the words of Solomon here are capable of another exposition: as that thorns and snares are in the way of the froward, because wicked men are prone both to injure and hurt others, and likewise to lay snares for them, to cheat and deceive them, and to seduce them into erroneous and sinful ways; which is the same in effect with that Rom. 3.16, 17. Destruction and misery are in their ways, and the way of peace have they not known : and that therefore he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them ; that is, he that is wary for his own safety will keep out of the reach of such mischievous persons, and will carefully avoid their plots, flatteries and seducements. And see also the Note chap. 15.19.

Vers. 6. Train up a child in the way he should go, &c.] In the Hebrew it is in his way ; whereby may be meant also, that he must be instructed in such a manner as is suitable to his years, and according to his capacity, as by giving him the shortest and the easiest instructions, and seeking to instill knowledge into him by little and little.

Vers. 7. The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. ] Though it be true, that the rich are commonly chosen into places of office and magistracy, and that amongst the Jews those that were in debt were wont to be fold for servants to their Creditors; (see the Note Exod. 21.2.) yet here Solomon speaks of rich men's insulting and domineering over the poor, and the bondage they are kept in that are forced to borrow of them. And the drift of this Proverb is, to warn men to be so wise, as by honest diligence in their callings to endeavor to be able to live of themselves, that they may never come to live in such slavery.

Vers. 8. He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity, &c.] That is, though he may propose divers ends of advantage to himself by his insolent tyrannizing over the poor, his expectation therein shall be vain and fruitless, he shall reap nothing by it, but affliction and misery; see the Note Job 4.8: and the rod of his anger shall fail ; that is, though he may chafe and rage, when he sees that his iniquity hath no success, yet he shall not be able to help himself, the wasting of his power in vain shall be all his harvest; or, his persecution and oppression shall cease; or, his authority and power, which in his wrath he used for the scourging and oppression of others, shall be broken, even as a rod when one strikes hard with it doth break and snap asunder; see the Note Psal. 125.3. But now if we read this last clause, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, and with the rod of his anger he shall be consumed, then the meaning must be either 1. that the tyrannical abuse of his power should prove his own ruin; or 2. that he should undergo the same fury, violence and oppression from others, which he had show • ▪ to others: as if he had said, that others should take the rod out of his hand, and beat him with it, or that he should be threshed with the same rod wherewith he had thres • ed others. For there may be an allusion in this expression to the rod wherewith they were wont to thresh out their grain, Isa. 28.27. the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod ; and that with respect to the similitude used in the foregoing clause, He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity.

Vers. 9. He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor. ] That is, he will give of that which is justly his own for the relief of the poor; yea, if need be, he will spare the very meat out of his own belly to feed them.

Vers. 10. Cast out the scorner, &c.] That is, let him be cast out of men's company & families, out of the Churches, & common-wealths, and places where he lives: and contention shall go out ; as if he should have said, this, & this only, will put an end to contention amongst men, because one scorner will set all on a light flame, besides the danger of his infecting others. Yea strife and reproach shall cease : where by reproach may be meant all railing & reviling and reproachful language, which usually follows strife & contention, & wherewith the scorner is wont to requite those that reprove & admonish him; or else, the infamy and shame which quarrelling & strife brings upon those that are given to it, yea and upon those amongst whom they live.

Vers. 11. He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend. ] This may be read, as in the margin, He that loveth pureness of heart, and hath grace in his lips, &c. & then accordingly the meaning must be, either first, (as taking the words in the most general sense) that he that loveth pureness of heart, that is, he that is of a pure & undefiled heart and conscience, that abhorreth all hypocrisy, & loveth truth and holiness, uprightness and sincerity in the inward man, and hath grace in his lips, that is, whose speech is holy & gracious, wise & profitable to others (see the Note Psal. 45.3.) the king, when he is such an one as a king ought to be, shall be his friend: or else, in a more particular sense, that he that is of a loyal faithtull heart, void of all dissimulation, & so never goeth about for fear, or hope of reward, to frame his speech so as he thinks will please princes and great men, but will speak the truth from his heart, & that discreetly and prudently, which may be principally intended to be the grace of his lips, shall find that God will incline the hearts of princes to favor him. But now reading it as it is in our Bibles, He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend, then the drift of the words is to show, why a man of a gracious, sincere, faithful heart, shall be sure to find favor with Princes: namely 1. because there will be grace also in such a man's lips, he will speak graciously and wisely, and with much content to those that hear him; pureness of heart causing grace in the lips, as necessarily, as the pureness of silver causeth it to yield a sweet and delightful sound: & 2. because wise men do always abhor dissembling flatteries. However the drift of the Proverb is, to show, that faithfulness and plain-dealing is the best way to preferment; and that the speech of the upright shall be acceptable, when the glossing silken words of parasites shall be hateful. But see the Note also chap. 16.13.

Vers. 12. The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, &c.] That is, say some Expositors, The Lord doth continue, uphold, and maintain the truth, and the knowledge of the truth amongst his people; as namely, by preserving the Scriptures, the spring of saving knowledge, & those that are ordained of God to teach men knowledge: and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor ; that is, he consuteth & bringeth to naught the false doctrines of ignorant men & seducers. But because of the opposition of the following clause, I rather take it thus: The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge ; that is, The watchful & tender providence of the all-seeing God doth preserve knowing, wise & godly men, & doth uphold & prosper their counsels & endeavors: and he overthroweth the words (or, the matters) of the transgressors ; all the counsels & enterprises of wicked men; or more particularly, all that they speak or do against the righteous. And there are some of our best Expositors that conceive that this is added with reference to what was said in the foregoing Proverb. Because it might be objected against that which was said there, that if men out of conscience speak the truth from their hearts to princes, it may bring them into danger; in answer thereto it is here said, that God will preserve him that followeth his counsel herein, though never so many eyes do watch over him to hurt him. Though such men may be counted fools, that cannot dissemble & flatter; yet God esteems this the only true wisdom and knowledge: & though for a time parasites may seem to prosper, & to have all the favor; yet God will discover the vanity of their flatteries, & it may be make those very words of theirs the cause of their disgrace, which they hoped would have been the means of their advancement.

Vers. 13. The slothful man saith, There is a lion without; I shall be slain in the streets. ] To wit, by the lion before mentioned; & hereby the vanity of this excuse is represented as the more ridiculous, because lions use not to be in the streets of towns or cities, but only abroad in the woods and fields. Yet some would have the two clauses here joined together understood disjunctively: to wit, that if the sluggard be to go forth to his labor in the field, then he saith, There is a lion without, &c. and if he be to go about any business in the town or city, then he pretends danger of being slain some other way, to wit, by some quarrelsome cut-throats that are abroad in the streets, or by some enemies of his that lie there in wait for him. However, observable is the expression that Solomon useth, The slothful man saith, &c. He doth not think, but only say so, even against the light of his own conscience pretending this by way of excuse. All the lion that endangers the sluggard is that of idleness, which lies with him in his bed, yea in his bosom; of which he never complains. But see the Note also chap 15.19.

Vers. 14. The mouth of strange women, &c.] See the Note chap. 2.16: is a deep pit ; to wit, because by their kisses and enticing language, they bring men into a sin which will hardly ever be left, and into manifold miseries, out of which men do very hardly and seldom escape, but do usually perish in them; see also the Notes ch. 2.18, 19. He that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein ; that is, the man that God is highly offended with for some former wickedness shall, in a way of just vengeance, be delivered up to this sin.

Vers. 15. Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child. ] To wit, because folly, wantonness and wickedness, being natural to children, it must needs be a very hard thing to make them leave it.

Vers. 16. He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want. ] Some understand both clauses of one and the same man, to wit, that he that robs the poor, and then gives bribes to the magistrates and great men, thereby to secure himself, shall certainly come to poverty. But I rather understand it of two different persons or sins: to wit, that he that oppresseth poor men, and likewise he that in a vain-glorious humor, or in hope of getting some great matter by them, will be sumptuously feasting great rich men, and sending them rich presents, so giving to the rich what he should give to the poor, yea what he hath many times injuriously raked from the poor, shall both alike come to poverty; and that not only because rich men do often only flout at those that follow them so with presents, at least they never mind them, nor think of requiting them, but also because God doth often in anger blast their estates.

Vers. 17. Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, &c.] Solomon useth this general expression, either 1. because he would press his son to attend to the instruction of all godly wise men, as well as his own; or 2. because in the close of this book he meant to add the words also of Agur and Bathsheba; or 3. because these instructions of his, being the very word of God, were the same with those that were taught by all those that were truly wise: and apply thine heart unto my knowledge ; see the Note chap. 2.2. From the beginning of the tenth chapter to this place, Solomon hath, as by way of doctrine, given us certain short proverbial sentences, every verse almost containing one entire Proverb by itself; but now from hence to the beginning of the 25. chapter, the manner of his style is changed: for besides that all is here delivered by way of exhortation, the precepts that are here pressed are for the most part more largely delivered in several verses, and backed with reasons, much as before it was in the first nine chapters. And hence I conceive it is, that in this and the four following verses this new exhortation, to attend diligently to Solomon's doctrine, is inserted either by way of closing up the former Proverbs, or rather by way of a new preface to that which follows.

Vers. 18. For it is a pleasant thing, if thou keep them within thee, &c.] As if he had said, Though the words of the wise may at first seem harsh, and hard to be learnt, and over-severe, and so be displeasing to thee; yet if thou keep them within thee, that is, if thou dost once understand and believe them, and so dost upon occasion call them to mind, and meditate on them, & obey them constantly, thou shalt find them very delightful and comfortable to thee; see the Note chap. 3.17. They shall withal be fitted to thy lips ; that is, thou shalt be able opportunely to call them to remembrance for the instruction of others, and to speak fluently, aptly, & to good purpose of everything, as any occasion is offered; yea and that with the acceptance and good approbation of those to whom thou speakest. And indeed then only do holy words and instructions proceed fitly and handsomely from men, when they proceed from the heart & from good men, according to that of David, Psal. 37.30, 31. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment; the law of God is in his heart: for which see the Notes there.

Vers. 19. That thy trust may be in the Lord, &c.] That is, To the end that knowing & observing what I have taught thee, thy trust may be fixed upon God, his word & promises, both for what concerns thy welfare in this life, and that which is to come: I have made known to thee ; to wit, all these truths that I have taught thee: this day ; that is, at this time, see Psal. 95.7. or, in this book: even to thee ; as if he should have said, Even to thee, my son, to whom I cannot better manifest my fatherly love, then in teaching thee these things, & whose duty it is to apply these precepts generally delivered to thyself in particular, and to know them for thine own good. I know some read the last clause thus, trust thou also, & the drift of it is as if he had said, I have done my duty in showing thee those things that should bring thee to put thy trust in the Lord; be thou now as careful to practice this, as I have been to teach thee.

Vers. 20. Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge? ] That is, excellent counsels, which I have given thee from God, for thine advice and direction in all thy ways, & whereby thou mayest be enabled to give counsel to others; and excellent precepts appertaining to knowledge, to inform thee in all things, which it is fit thou shouldest know, for thy welfare here, or eternal salvation hereafter.

Vers. 21. That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth, &c.] That is, That I might teach thee, not doubtful conceits, or lying fables, but truths of unquestionable certainty, even the sure Oracles of God: that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee ; that is, that thou mayest be able to give sound advice to those that send to thee to desire thy counsel, and to satisfy those that send to be informed in some hard cases or doubtful questions; or, that thou mayest be able to give a reason of thy judgment or doings to any that shall call thee to give an account thereof, according to that 1 Pet. 3.15. Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you. But now if we read this last clause as it is in the margin of our Bibles, that thou mightest answer the words of truth to those that send thee, then the meaning must be this; that thou mayest give a fair account to those that have sent thee either to be instructed, or to manage any great business they have committed to thy trust.

Vers. 22. Rob not the poor, because he is poor, &c.] That is, say some, because being poor, he is fitter to be pitied and relieved, then to be robbed and oppressed; or rather, because being poor, he is not able to withstand; let not that encourage thee: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate ; to wit, under a pretence of justice; see the Notes Job 5.4. and 31.21.

Vers. 25. L • st thou learn his ways, &c.] To wit, the angry man's ways, mentioned in the foregoing verse, by being infected by his example & company, as naturally men are prone to imitate those they love; or by being provoked to anger by his anger, & so through often brawling and contending thou gettest at last an habit of frowardness: and get a snare to thy soul ; that is, & so beest entangled in the same sin, to the endangering of thy soul in eternal perdition; or, lest thou bring thy life into danger: to wit, either by thy friends falling suddenly upon thee in his fury some time or other, and taking away thy life; or by some quarrels whereinto thou mayest be brought by his means, wherein by thy provoking of others thy life may be brought in hazard, at least some great mischief or other may befall thee.

Vers. 26. Be not thou one of them that strike hands, &c.] See the Notes chap. 6.1. and Job 17.3.

Vers. 27. If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee? ] See the Note chap. 20.16.

Vers. 29. Seest thou a man diligent in his business? &c.] As if he should have said, Such a man is deservedly to be noted and observed; and if therefore thou hast taken notice of such a man, observe likewise what the issue of his diligence is: he shall stand before kings, &c.

CHAP. XXIII.

Vers. 1. WHen thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee. ] That is, what plenty and variety there is of dainty mea • s and delicious wines, and how dangerous they are to entangle men unawares, (whence it is that they are called afterwards verse. 3. deceitful meat ) and to draw them to excess in eating and drinking, whilst they will be tasting of every dish, and sipping at every cup, and so consequently to make them in their jollity to speak or do something that may turn to their prejudice; and that the rather, because great men are often wont to make use of their feasts, as snares to entangle men in this regard, to make them in their drink and heat of blood to utter those things which they would not otherwise discover. I know many Expositors extend these words to the consideration of the persons present, the Ruler and others, and some to the well weighing of any questions that shall then be propounded; and so take them to be a warning, that he that is called to be a guest at a great man's table should be careful, that he did no way carry himself rudely, uncivilly and unmannerly, no otherwise then if he were at home at his own table; or, that he should take heed, that when any questions were propounded, he spake nothing rashly and foolishly. But the first exposition is clearly the best, as the following words do manifest.

Vers. 2. And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. ] That is, one that naturally lovest dainties, and art very inclinable to glut thyself with them. And by those words, put a knife to thy throat, is meant, that such a man should restrain himself from all excess in eating and drinking: only this expression seems withal to imply, either first, that he should force himself to forbear by mortifying his unruly appetite, that he might be no more able to run on in filling himself, then if there were a knife stuck in his throat: or 2. that though this bridling of his appetite were never so troublesome & irksome to him, as grievous in a manner to him as if he were to cut his own throat, yet he must do it; and that because it were better, if any such necessity could be conceived, that a man's throat should be cut, then that he should •• sh headlong into the miseries which his gluttony & drunkenness would bring upon him: and so the drift of these words is much the same with that of our Savior's words, Matth. 5.29, 30. If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into bell, &c. where the meaning is only, that though the abandoning of anything that is an occasion of sin, should be as grievous to us as the pulling out our eyes, or the cutting off our right hands; yet we must abandon them: or 3. that he should restrain his inordinate appetite, by thinking with himself of the danger his excess is like to bring him into; partly in regard of the divers deadly diseases it is like to bring upon men, partly in regard of the slipperiness of their tongues in such a case, to utter those things that may provoke the ruler to displeasure, or otherwise hazard their lives, and chiefly because their excess is like to bring their souls to eternal damnation; their knives upon the table are like to be more mischievous to them then a knife in their throats would be. And therefore by thinking of these things, as by a knife put to their throats, it is fit that men should endeavor to keep themselves from excess.

Vers. 3. Be not desirous of his dainties, for they are deceitful meat. ] To wit, 1. because when great persons do invite meaner men to their tables, they do it usually with a purpose some way to ensnare or deceive them; they do it not out of love, as they pretend, but with an aim to bring them to utter those things, when they have drunk well and are frolic, which at another time they would never have spoken, or some other way to entrap them, & to bring their own purposes about: 2. because men are usually therein deceived, that they think great men are willing they should eat freely of the plentiful provision that is set before them; whereas indeed they grudge them what they eat, as is expressed more fully afterwards verse. 6.7: 3 ^lie , because the delight men take in such dainties doth unawares draw them into intemperance and excess, which proves at last the cause of much mischief to them: and 4. because court-entertainment & familiarity is many times unstable, and so they that entertain great hopes upon that ground, are usually deceived of their hopes. But now under this one particular of eating at great men's tables, Solomon intends to imply the danger of all conversing with great men in any way whatsoever, and that men had need to be wisely watchful over themselves, and to bridle their affections, when they have to deal with great personages in anything whatsoever: & that because the friendship of such men is deceitful; it yields not that content usually that men expect in it, but on the other side it brings many vexations with it, and is many ways dangerous. Many seeking hereby to advance themselves, have ruinated their estates, and utterly overthrown their posterity.

Vers. 4. Labor not to be rich, &c.] Riches are the good blessing of God; and therefore may be desired, if it be only so far as it may be for God's glory, and our good: but absolutely to desire to be rich, and to set our heart upon it, and thereupon to overtoil our bodies, and to afflict and perplex our spirits in seeking to get riches, this is that which is here forbidden. Men must labor in their callings, in obedience to God's command, and that they may have wherewith to live comfortably, and if God send in abundance, accept it thankfully; but for men absolutely to make it their aim to be rich, & so thereupon to make drudges of themselves, and violently to pursue riches, as if they thought by their toiling suddenly to enrich themselves whether God would or no, that is no way warrantable. Cease from thine own wisdom ; which will persuade thee that a man's happiness consists in being rich, and will prompt thee to strive after this by all means, though never so unlawful.

Vers. 5. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? ] That is, Wilt thou eagerly look and seek after, & set thine heart upon that which hath no solid substance in it, (however men are wont vainly to call their riches their substance) that which in true judgment is nothing worth, & for the having whereof men are nothing the better? or, that which is not, that is, which it may be will not be had, because those that eagerly seek after riches many times cannot attain them; whereas God frequently bestows them in abundance upon those that mind them not? or, that which when a man hath gotten, will usually be gone on a sudden? And if we thus understand this clause, then the following words are added by way of explaining these ((whereas otherwise they may be taken as a second reason against their▪ ordinate desire of riches:) for riches certainly make themselves wings, they fly away ; that is, the man that labors to get them cannot attain them, or, when a man hath gotten them, they will vanish away in an instant: as an eagle towards heaven, that is, as an eagle flieth towards heaven; or, if these words also be meant of riches, we must understand them thus, that riches will be gone beyond all possibility of getting them or recovering them again. The first clause is in the Hebrew, Wilt thou cause thine eyes to flee upon that which is not ? which expression seems to have reference to that which followeth concerning riches sleeing away as an eagle, and so may imply, that though in their desires men fly after riches with never so much eagerness, they will be too swift for them, and how vain a thing it is for men to gape after riches, even as if a man should with earnest desires look after some fowl, which is upon the wing, and in the twinkling of an eye is gotten out of his sight: and therefore it is too that the eagle is mentioned, because no fowl flieth so high or so swift as an eagle.

Vers. 6. Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye. ] That is, of an envious man, according to that Matth. 20.15. Is thine eye evil, because I am good? or rather, of a sordid covetous miser, that doth envy thee and grudge thee every bit of meat that thou eatest; for so on the contrary the liberal man was before said to have a good or a bountiful eye, chap. 22.9.

Vers. 7. For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he, &c.] That is, he is not to be esteemed according to what in his words and his outward deportment he would pretend himself to be, to wit, one that loves thee, and to whom thou art truly welcome; but according to what he thinketh in his heart, as namely, that he is a dissembling miserly churl, that grudgeth at thy eating of that which he sets before thee, as is expressed in the following clause, Eat and drink, saith he to thee, but his heart is not with thee.

Vers. 8. The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, &c.] Some understand this literally, that by reason of some unwholesome meat which the envious man doth often set before his guests, or by reason of his drawing them with a mischievous intention to overlade their stomachs with his meat or drink, his guests should vomit up what they had eaten, and so also should be disabled from speaking so wisely and acceptably to those that were present, as otherwise they might have done; which they think is intended in the next clause, and lose thy sweet words. But by the common consent of most Expositors, the meaning is rather this: The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up; that is, By some snare wherewith he will entrap thee, or some mischief he will afterwards do thee, he will make thee pay dearly for what thou hast eaten; or rather, When thou shalt perceive either by some distasteful speeches given thee, or by some other means, that he grudged to see thee eat his meat, thou shalt be so inwardly vexed and grieved, that thy meat shall do thee no good, and in that regard it shall be all one to thee, as if thou hadst vomited it up again; or, thou shalt even loath that very meat of his which thou hast eaten, and repent that ever thou didst eat it, and wish thou couldest vomit it up again: And lose thy sweet words ; that is, all the sweet glossing words wherewith he welcomed thee, &c. all the content thou didst take therein shall be then lost, they shall do thee no good, but rather thou shalt be vexed exceedingly, that thou wert so befooled by his dissembling language; or, thou shalt lose thy sweet words, that is, all the flattering language thou gavest him, or all the courteous, sweet, complemental words thou spakest to him, by way of praising his good cheer, or acknowledging his love, and returning him many thanks for his kind entertainment, or any good or pleasant discourse wherewith thou soughtest to delight him or his guests, whilst thou wert at his table: all which shall be as lost, either because the covetous churl took no delight in them, whilst he grudged at him for eating up his victuals, or because the man that spake them, when he comes to discover the sordid dissembling of his host that entertained him, shall be fretted that ever he spake them, and shall wish that he had never spoken them.

Vers. 9. Speak not in the ears of a fool; for he will despise the wisdom of thy words. ] To wit, out of ignorance or profaneness; see the Notes chap. 9.7, 8. But yet this phrase of speaking in the ear, may seem to imply, that this is meant only of private admonition or reproof.

Vers. 10. Remove not the old land-mark, and enter not into the fields of the fatherless. ] To wit, neither by seizing upon their lands and estate unjustly, nor by any encroachment, through removing their land-marks, nor by breaking violently into them any other way to do them any damage.

Vers. 11. For their redeemer is mighty, &c.] See the Note Job 19.25: he shall plead their cause with thee ; see the Note chap. 22.23.

Vers. 13. Withhold not correction from the child, &c.] That is, neither omit it thyself, nor restrain others from doing it, to whom it belongs; see the Notes also chap. 13.24. & 19.18: for if thou beat him with the rod, he shall not die ; that is, such moderate correction will not be his death, to wit, neither at the present, (for a rod will break no bones) nor yet by degrees, by grieving or weakening him, and bringing him into a consumption: or, he shall not die, that is, this will preserve him both from being cut off by untimely death, as cocker'd children for their wickedness many times are, and likewise from eternal death, as is more fully expressed in the following verse.

Vers. 14. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell. ] This last clause may be taken not only as a promise, but also as a precept.

Vers. 15. My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine. ] That is, not only shall this yield joy to thine own heart, but to mine also, by whose instruction this hath been wrought, and who for the love I bear thee cannot but rejoice in thy good.

Vers. 16. Yea my reins shall rejoice, &c.] That is, All the inward parts of my body shall be affected with my joy: when thy lips speak right things ; that is, when thou becomest able thereby to instruct others: or, when thy speech is pious and every way right: which is therefore particularly mentioned, because this is the highest proof of true wisdom in the heart; If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, Jam. 3.2.

Vers. 17. Let not thine heart envy sinners, &c.] See the Notes Psal. 37.1, 3: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long ; that is, continually and constantly, even then when it fares best with the wicked, and worst with thyself and others that live holily and righteously. Now the fear of the Lord is here required in opposition to the fault of envying sinners, either to show that instead of desiring to walk in their ways, that we may be sharers with them in their prosperous estate, it is our duty to be constant in the ways of well-doing; or else because the fear of the Lord w • ll cause men to mortify this base lust of envy, it will curb men from murmuring against the secret judgments of God, it will pull down men's pride, and make them contented with a mean condition, it will teach men to put their trust and confidence in God, and to look upon wicked men in their greatest prosperity as men that are to be pitied rather then envied.

Vers. 18. For surely there is an end, &c.] To wit, of the prosperity of the wicked; God hath set a period to their flourishing estate, it shall not always, yet it shall not long continue; see the Note Psal. 37, 38: or, there shall be an end of thy oppression, affliction, and misery: or, there shall be an end of thy patience and hope; thou shalt not always in a poor oppressed estate wait for better days; that which God hath promised as the end and reward of piety, shall be at last made good to thee: which agrees with that of David, Psal. 37.37. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace ; & that of the Apostle Jam. 5.11. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord. And thence it is that some do so render this first clause, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, for surely there is a reward. And if thus we understand these words, then is the same in effect repeated in the next clause, and thine expectation shall not be cut off ; that is, thou shalt be supported with hope to the last, & the hope which thou hast of a reward of thy piety, far above anything which the wicked enjoy, shall not be frustrate. Yet it may be understood of the godly man's expectation, that the prosperity of the wicked shall come to an end, to wit, that he shall not be deceived in that his expectation.

Vers. 19. Hear thou, my son, &c.] See the Note chap. 1.8: and be wise ; that is, become wise • or study & endeavor to get wisdom by thy hearing: & guide thine heart in the way ; that is, in all thy courses, or in that right way wherein thou art taught to go; follow not the guidance of thine own carnal heart, but cause thine heart to follow the guidance of God's word, wherein are the instructions of true wisdom, that so thou mayest with all thy soul walk in the right way.

Vers. 21. For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. ] That is, idleness, which causeth drowsiness: see the Note chap. 19.15. Yet I conceive it is here expressed by drowsiness, because drunkenness and gluttony do both make men drowsy.

Vers. 22. Hearken to thy father that begat thee, &c.] See the Note chap. 1.8: and despise not thy mother ; that is, neither the person nor the instructions of thy mother: when she is old ; as if he should have said, though haply with age she may be grown even childish again, or, though being old thou needest not fear her correcting of thee, nor canst hope that she should store up for her children as formerly.

Vers. 23. Buy the truth, &c.] That is, the knowledge and belief and practice of the truth contained in God's word, according to that Joh. 17.17. Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth ; use all possible means for the gaining of it, spare no pains nor cost, yea rather expose thyself to any peril, and to the loss of all that is dear to thee, then not get it: and sell it not ; as if he should have said, Whereas merchants buy their precious commodities, that they may sell them again, do not thou so; be not like Esau that sold his birthright for a mess of pottage; when thou hast gotten the truth, forget it not, for any gain or sinful pleasure; deny thyself in all things whatsoever, rather then abandon this precious treasure.

Vers. 24. The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice, &c.] See the Notes chap. 10.1. and 15.20.

Vers. 25. She that bare thee shall rejoice. ] As if he had said, and so this will be some recompense for all the pains and sorrows she endured in bearing thee in her womb, in bringing thee into the world, in nursing thee up with so much labor and tender care. And so also there is covertly herein a warning given to young men to beware, that they did not by their wickedness bring many bitter after-throes upon their mothers, even in their old age.

Vers. 26. My son, give me thine heart, &c.] That is, Apply thy heart to learn mine instructions, and to obey my precepts; or, which is all one in effect, set thine heart upon God only, and upon true wisdom: for Solomon speaks here as in the name of God, according to that 2 Cor. 5.20. as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead. And then it follows, and let thine eyes observe my ways ; that is, apply thy whole mind, diligently to mark and observe the ways wherein I walk, as a pattern for thee, or, which I prescribe thee, that thou mayest heedfully walk in them; lest wandering from these ways, thou fallest into the ditch or pit mentioned in the following verse.

Vers. 27. For a whore is a deep ditch, &c.] To wit, amongst other reasons, because whoremongers not only by reason of the nasty diseases to which they are subject, but also by reason of the detestablenesse of their sin, are as loathsome amongst men, as a man must needs be that hath fallen into some miry stinking ditch: and a strange woman is a narrow pit ; see the Note chap. 22.14.

Vers. 28. She also lieth in wait as for a prey, &c.] Or, which is all one in effect, as a robber. The meaning is, that as a robber doth usually lie lurking in some den or wood, and that commonly in the night, that he may get some booty, and hath for the most his companions as good as himself, to help him, and is not content with one booty, but seeks to make a prey of many one after another, sparing none, though he chiefly looks after the richer sort, and doth usually bereave travellers not of their money only, but of their lives too; so it is with the whorish woman in all these regards: This night-bird doth use all kind of craft, secretly to get many men into her power, and those too for the most that are of the richer sort, though she spares none, and hath her companions, bawds and panders, to help her; and when she hath gotten them into her power, she maketh a prey of their estates, and bereaves them of their health, good names, graces, reason and understanding, yea their very lives and souls. There may be also an allusion in these words to the custom of harlots, who were wont to sit by the high-ways covered with vails, that they might entice men to them, as we may see by that which is said of Judah and Tamar, Gen. 38.14, 15. for which see the Notes there. And increaseth the transgressors among men ; which is as if he had said, Of which, alas, there was no need, there being but too many of that crew already. Now this is said of the whore, partly because she often enticeth other maids and wives into the same wickedness; but especially because so many men are corrupted by her.

Vers. 29. Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? &c.] That is, Who is it that at last comes to undergo manifold miseries, temporal or eternal, and thereupon to mourn and lament bitterly, with Woe and alas? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? that is, wounds and bruises, that were not gotten upon a just cause, as men are wounded in the war, where they have hazarded themselves for their prince and country; but merely by their own folly: as when they have hurt themselves by dangerous falls; when they and their companions have fallen in their cups into causeless quarrels about mistakes or mere trifles; or when they have been beaten for the wrong they have done to others in their wine causelessly, & sometimes merely in derision, when they have given no just cause of offense to those that did it; or when for some evil pranks they have committed in their drunken fits, they have been punished by the magistrate: who hath redness of eyes? & consequently many times blindness? Now all these questions import as much as if Solomon had said, Every man knoweth who these men are, to wit, drunkards; and that these are the sad effects of their mer • y meetings.

Vers. 30. They that tarry long at the wine, they that go to seek mixed wine. ] See the Note chap. 9.2.

Vers. 31. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his color in the cup, &c.] To wit, as being clear, and brisk and lively: when it moveth itself aright ; that is, when it boileth and sparkleth, and as it were danceth in the glass or cup.

Vers. 32. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. ] Or, a cockatrice. That is, it will fill the body with insufferable pains & deadly diseases, torture the conscience, disturb the mind, & make men mad, & bring upon them shame and poverty, &c. yea it will poison & destroy the soul; evils worse then the venomous biting of a serpent, or stinging of an adder.

Vers. 33. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. ] That is, Thou shalt think, desire, contrive, and resolve upon within thyself, or, out of the abundance of thy heart thy mouth shall speak, (as indeed drunkards are usually wont to utter all that is in their hearts) perverse things, that is, filthy, unclean things; or more generally, thou shalt vomit out all kind of wicked speeches, blasphemies, railings, &c.

Vers. 34. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, &c.] To wit, that lieth down to sleep; or as he that lieth, to wit, sleeping, upon the top of a mast. Very probably we may conceive, that as those that in a ship are tossed by a storm at sea are thereupon compared to a drunken man, Psal. 107.27. they reel to and fro, and s • agger like a drunken man, and are at their wits end ; so here the drunkard is compared to a man that is tumbled up and down in a ship by sea, because being drowned in drink, this makes him light-headed & stagger as he goeth, and troubles his brains with such giddiness, that everything seems to him to swim or turn round. But because Solomon compares the drunkard to a man that sleeps in the midst of the sea, or upon the top of a mast, I rather think the meaning of these words to be, either 1. that drunkenness maketh men's sleep troublesome and unquiet, so that they apprehend themselves to be tossed up and down as those are that are in a tempest in the midst of the sea; or 2. which I like far the best, that drunkards are in as much danger of perishing, and yet withal as ignorant, secure and fearless of the dangers they are in, as the man is that being in a ship that is tossed with tempests in the midst of the sea, it may be upon the top of a mast, is in danger every moment to be cast away, & so far from land, that there is no hope of escape by swimming, and yet the whilst lies fast asleep, no way able to do anything towards the preserving of the ship he is in from perishing in the waters, and yet never thinking of the least danger.

Vers. 35. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick, &c.] That is, I cared not for it, I was not much hurt: they have beaten me, and I felt it not ; and therefore have no great cause to be troubled for it. Now though drunkards will sometimes thus slight the blows they have had given them whilst they were in their drink, thereby to shake off, as it were, the disgrace of being so basely abused; yet it is clear that Solomon here represents the speeches of a drunkard, when he is a little come to himself, and awakes in the night, though not thoroughly, but is still half awake & half asleep, as appears by the following words, when shall I awake? as if he should say, the rather because of his drought and thirst, Oh that it were day! when will it be morning? to wit, that he might return to his cups again, as is expressed in the last words, I will seek it yet again. Yea we may well think that Solomon intended these words as the language of their practice rather then their lips, and that the drift of them is only to set forth the stupid blockishness of drunkards, that no incoveniences which they undergo by their drunkenness will beat them off from it.

CHAP. XXIV.

Vers. 1. BE not thou envious against evil men, &c.] See the Note Psal. 3.7: neither desire to be with them ; to wit, as thinking to join with them in their wickedness, that thou mayest share with them in their prosperity.

Vers. 2. For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief. ] As if he should have said, By this means they become great, and thus they make use of their greatness; & therefore who would share with them in it? But now some of our best Expositors understand the words thus, that in all the mischief which wicked men devise and speak against others, they do indeed study & talk how to destroy themselves; which is not improbable. But however observable it is, that he saith their heart, thereby implying that the wicked are usually of one heart and of one mind for the working of mischief.

Vers. 3. Through wisdom iS an house built, &c.] As if he had said, with reference to what went before verse. 1, 2. This therefore is a better way that we may thrive and prosper in the world, then to join with the wicked in their cursed ways, But see the Note chap. 14.1.

Vers. 5. A wise man is strong, &c.] To wit, not only for acts of spiritual fortitude, see the Note chap. 16.32; but also for the accomplishing of those external enterprises, which are usually effected by diligence and strength of body: see the Note chap. 21.22.

Vers. 6. For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war; and in multitude of counsellors there is safety. ] See the Notes chap. 15.22. and 20.18.

Vers. 7. Wisdom is too high for a fool, &c.] That is, he apprehendeth it to be above his reach, and so will take no pains to get it; or, being wholly intent upon earthly things, wisdom is above his sight, that he cannot discern the preciousness of it, yea it is above the reach of his natural capacity, 1 Cor. 2.14. the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. So it follows, he openeth not his mouth in the gate ; that is, he shall not be able to speak a word in his own defense, when he shall be questioned before the magistrate; as on the contrary it is said of others, Psal. 127.5. they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate : or rather, such an one shall never be called to any place of magistracy, which is a place for wise men; or if he be, he will not dare to offer to speak, or, he will not be able to speak, or at least, not to speak anything to the purpose.

Vers. 10. If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. ] That is, say some Expositors, it will fail more & more, and will become very small; if thou dost not hearten & encourage thyself, but sufferest thy heart to faint within thee, thy strength will grow less & less: or rather thus, Though thou seemest never so courageous in a prosperous estate, yet if thou faint when adversity comes, as apprehending that thou shalt never be able to endure it, or that there is no hope of escape, this is a clear sign that thy strength is small; since it is not so much the quality or the greatness of the affliction, that maketh a man faint, as the cowardliness or weakness of his own spirit.

Vers. 11. If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, &c.] To wit, by unjust violence; if thou doest not what might be lawfully done towards their deliverance: and those that are ready to be slain ; that is, those that are in some danger of death, by reason of some plot that is in hand against them, or rather, that are in present danger of death, just ready to be slain.

Vers. 12. If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not, &c.] To wit, neither did I know it, nor those that were about me, who otherwise would certainly have informed me. And the meaning may be, either that they knew not how to deliver them; or rather, that they knew not the danger he was in, or that he was unjustly in danger. Doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? that is, doth not he exactly know, whether it be so or no? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? where God's keeping and preserving man's soul is mentioned, to imply, either 1. that he that keepeth the soul must needs know the thoughts of the soul; or 2. that God's preserving the life of a man might well be an engagement to make him the more careful to preserve the lives of others when they were in danger, especially considering that it might be that for that very end God had preserved him; or 3. that God having every man's life at his command, every man had cause to be very careful, that they did not by slighting others in their dangers provoke him to displeasure; or 4. that God was able to preserve any man, if he should be brought into any danger, by appearing for those that were unjustly oppressed: and shall not be render to every man according to his works? and therefore will he not reward thee, if thou showest mercy to the oppressed, or on the other side punish thee, if thou dissemblest, and neglectest to aid those that are in danger, causing others likewise to be as pitilesse towards thee?

Vers. 13. My son, eat thou honey, because it is good, &c.] That is, both wholesome and sweet: and the honey-comb, which is sweet to thy taste ; see the Note Psal. 19.10. It is as if he had said, As men naturally love honey for its sweetness, so should they love wisdom, as is expressed in the next verse.

Vers. 14. So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul, &c.] To wit, so profitable and pleasing: when thou hast found it ; to wit, when with much labor thou hast at last truly attained it, and durst not flatter thyself with a vain imagination that thou hast it, when indeed there is no such thing: then there shall be a reward, and thine expectation shall not be cut off ; and so though at first thou dost not find the benefit of it, yet at last thou shalt. But see the Note chap. 23.18.

Vers. 15. Lay not wait (O wicked man) against the dwelling of the righteous, &c.] Some would have the meaning hereof to be this; Watch not secretly to discover any wickedness in the righteous man, that thou mayst some way to his hurt charge it upon him. But the following clause, spoil not his resting-place, maketh it methinks very clear, that the full scope of these words is to charge men, that they should not seek to bring any hurt or disquiet upon the righteous man, his family, or anything that belongs to him, either by secret fraud, or open violence.

Vers. 16. For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again, &c.] This also some would have to be meant of the just man's falling often into sin, & rising again by repentance. But by the foregoing verse it is clear that the meaning of this is, either 1. that though the righteous seem often to be much cast down & overwhelmed with their afflictions, yet they do as often rouse up & encourage themselves again; or else that though they are often afflicted, yet they are always again delivered: for which see the Note Psal. 37.24. But the wicked shall fall into mischief ; to wit, irrecoverably, never rising again.

Vers. 17. Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, &c.] See the Notes Job 31.29. and Psal. 58.10.

Vers. 18. Lest the Lord see it, & it displease him, & he turn away his wrath from him. ] That is, say some Expositors, Lest God remove his judgments from him, & so thine enemy become again able to do thee a mischief, and thy triumphing over him be turned into confusion, grief & shame; or rather, Lest God turn away his wrath from him, to wit, upon thee▪ & so then he shall insult over thee, as thou didst before over him. However, doubtless Solomon doth not by this expression intend, that men should be unwilling that their enemies should be freed from any judgments that God had brought upon them, (for this all men ought rather to desire) but only that men should take heed that by their rejoicing at their enemies miseries, they did not bring their miseries upon themselves.

Vers. 19. Fret not thyself because of evil men, &c.] See the Notes chap. 24.1. and Psal. 37.1, 3.

Vers. 20. For there shall be no reward to the evil man, &c.] That is, no good reward: though he may flourish for a time, yet it shall be seen at last, that the good things he enjoyed here were not given him in way of a reward, as if God had approved of his ways, because at last God shall cut him off, & his plagues and miseries shall be perpetual; though he may flatter himself with hope, that even after this life he shall fare as well as others, yet it shall not be so: when the righteous after all their misery shall receive the reward of their piety, there shall be no happiness nor salvation for him: the candle of the wicked shall be put out ; see the Notes chap. 13.9. and 20.20. Job 18.5, 6. and 21.17.

Vers. 21. My son, fear thou the Lord & the king, &c.] God is first mentioned, both because in all things our fear of him must have the preeminence, and we must no farther obey earthly magistrates then may stand with our obedience to God; & also because we must fear princes for conscience sake, out of the reverence we bear to God, & as looking upon them as God's vice-gerents: & meddle not with them that are given to change ; that is, to change & break the laws of God & the king; or, to revolt from their obedience to God or the king. I conceive it is chiefly meant of seditious persons, that are given to make changes and alterations in kingdoms and commonwealths, as by subverting their fundamental laws and customs, by treasonable practices against their princes, &c.

Vers. 22. For their calamity shall rise suddenly, &c.] That is, it shall come upon them ere they are aware, when perhaps they think they have carried their designs so secretly that they cannot be discovered, yea that all things are so ordered that they shall surely prevail. And indeed Princes are wont to make quick dispatch of seditious persons & traitors for fear of danger. And who knoweth the ruin of them both? that is, say many Expositors, who can foresee it? It comes upon them usually more swiftly & unexpectedly then is conceived. And thus if we understand the second clause, it is the same in effect with the first. But doubtless this expression implieth also, that their ruin, the punishments & torments which they shall undergo, will be more horrible and insufferable then is usually imagined. And indeed if hell torments, which are frequently the just reward of such persons, be also included, we may well say that no man can conceive what they will be. As for the word both, I conceive thus of it: that no man can well conceive the ruin and destruction either 1. which both God and the king shall bring upon such men; or 2. which will come upon both those that are seditious & given to change, and those also that meddle with them; or 3. both those that fear not God, and those likewise that fear not the king. But yet some extend the word farther, and say it is meant of the wicked mentioned verse. 19, 20. and of those seditious persons mentioned verse. 21.

Vers. 23. These things also belong to the wise, &c.] That is, say some Expositors, to Judges and Magistrates; and they understand it of those sentences which follow in this & the next three verses, & that because they concern matters of judgment: or rather, These following Proverbs are fit to be minded & observed by those that will carry themselves as becomes wise men. But because I see no probable reason, why upon any such grounds this preface should be here prefixed; I rather conceive that this is prefixed, to show that though the Proverbs and sentences that follow from hence to the end of the chapter were not Solomon's, yet they were the sayings of other famous wise men, and therefore inserted in this place with the Proverbs of Solomon.

Vers. 24. He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, &c.] That is, that in a way of flattery applaudeth the person of a wicked man, or any of his wicked ways, especially if it be a wicked prince or magistrate (as indeed of such the Proverbs here joined together seem to speak;) or rather, He that from the seat of justice shall acquit & justify any guilty party: him shall the people curse ; to wit, some by praying to God to punish him, others by hard censures, revilings & imprecations, which though they may not be lawful, yet they are a punishment to them that undergo them; see also the Note chap. 11.26. However the meaning is, that not God only, but all men generally must needs condemn and abhor such men: (as indeed those that seem to favor them most do usually detest them in their hearts) and that both because nothing can be by the very light of nature more odious, then that those, whose place & business it is to maintain justice, should themselves pervert it; and likewise because this must needs encourage and harden men in their sins, & doth indeed directly tend to the utter ruin of kingdoms and commonwealths.

Vers. 25. But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, &c.] That is, say some Expositors, God & man shall delight in such men. But the meaning rather is, either that those that shall faithfully reprove the wicked, (whether princes or others) or that being judges shall censure & punish them, shall enjoy the delight of a good conscience, & of the comfort of knowing that both God and men do favor them, (as indeed the wicked themselves, if ever they truly repent of their wickedness, will commend them and pray for them;) or, that God shall bestow many blessings upon them, which shall yield them much delight. And then it is the same in effect with the following clause, and a good blessing shall come upon them ; for which see the Notes Job 29.11, 12. Though faithful reproofs may be better to the wicked, and provoke them to much anger and rage, yet to them that therein discharge a good conscience they shall yield much sweet refreshing.

Ver. 26. Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer. ] That is, that from the judgment-seat pronounceth a just sentence; or more generally, that in be • ring witness, or in giving advice and counsel, or in any other way, doth always speak that which is true, just and equal, without all flattery or dissimulation; or, that speaketh fitly & to the purpose in any cause or matter propounded to him. And by every man's kissing such a man's lips is meant, that everyone will dearly love and highly honor him, and will be ready to do him any service he is able, and that because of the great good which such a man doeth by his speaking, and because such faithful lips are so rarely found; for of these things kissing was a token and pledge: see the Note 1 Sam. 10.1.

Vers. 27. Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field, and afterwards build thine house. ] The drift of this Proverb is, to teach us, that we must never undertake any enterprise, till we are sure of the means whereby to effect it. But indeed the generality of Expositors understand the words otherwise: Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field ; that is, first get grounds, and store them with cattle, & sow and plant them, & every way husband them so, that they may yield thee much fruit, and that the fruit thereof may be carefully gathered and inned; and when by this means (or, which is proportionably the same, when by learning some trade or calling, and following it diligently) thou hast gotten somewhat whereon to live comfortably, and well to maintain thyself & family, then trim and enlarge & furnish thy house according to thy estate, or build thee a new house, fairer then that which thou hadst before; or, then get thee a wife, & provide for posterity. And some also conceive Solomon's intent to be, that these works of husbandry must first be done in their season, because the season being passed, they cannot be done at any time. But however both the one & the other conceive the drift of the Proverb to be this, that men must first provide for things necessary and of greatest importance, and then afterwards for those things that are of less moment.

Vers. 28. Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause, &c.] That is, without just ground, as by accusing him of that as a fault which is not a fault, or by testifying that against him whereof he is guiltless, which thou doest upon mere uncertainties, or against thine own conscience, when he hath given thee no cause so to wrong him, or to raise such a report of him. And if we thus understand the first clause, the second may be to the same effect, and deceive not with thy lips ; to wit, by misinforming men, and making them believe that to be truth which is not, or, making show hereby that thou art a faithful honest man, when indeed it is not so, or, by colouring over a bad cause with a varnish of fair words, thereby to deceive those that hear thee, and not speaking the truth simply & plainly. Or else we may understand the first clause thus, Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause ; to wit, not being legally cited and called thereunto; offer not thyself herein of thine own accord, which will imply that thou doest it rashly, out of ill will or envy, or in a way of revenge: and deceive not with thy lips ; to wit, by flattering men, or by deceitful promises and pretences of love. So the first clause may forbid deceiving men by false witness, and the second deceiving them by flatteries. Or if we understand the first clause, as most do, of backbiters, the meaning of the whole sentence may be briefly this; Do not slander him secretly, and in the mean season flatter him to his face.

Vers. 29. Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me, &c.] See the Note chap. 20.22: I will render to the man according to his works ; as if he had said, thereby proudly speaking of thyself in the very language of God. But now some understand this particularly, with reference to the foregoing verse, of a man's resolving to deceive or bear false witness against his neighbor in a way of revenge, because he had formerly done so to him.

Vers. 34. So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, &c.] See the Note chap. 6.11.

CHAP. XXV.

Vers. 1. THese are also Proverbs of Solomon, &c.] To wit, These that follow to the end of the 23. chapter, as well as those before from the beginning of the 10. at least to the 23. of the foregoing chapter: which the men of Hezekiah, that is, his servants or courtiers, perhaps his secretaries, or, the men which he had appointed to that service (whether private men, or Priests, or Levites, or prophets that lived in his time, as did Isaiah amongst others, it is not expressed) copied out ; to wit, out of some writings or fragments of writings then extant, wherein Solomon, or some other from his mouth, had written many of his Proverbs; or, it may be, out of some public Records that were kept of Solomon's Act, and Monuments. It seems Hezekiah, in his zeal to promote the cause of Religion, appointed some to this service of collecting the choicest of Solomon's Proverbs that were found at that time in any other book; which having done, & reduced them into order, and prefixed this Inscription, they were joined to this book: see the Note chap. 1.1.

Vers. 2. It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, &c.] God may be said to conceal a thing, 1. in that he doth not communicate his counsels and purposes unto others, by way of advising concerning anything which he intends to do, (for, saith the Prophet, Isa. 40.13. Who hath directed the spirit of the Lord, or being his counselor hath taught him? ) but doth, without any such consultation, what ever seemeth good in his own eyes: 2. in that he hath made known to his people in his word many truths, which are to them unsearchable mysteries, the causes whereof, and the manner how they should be, human reason is no way able to reach; as the Trinity of persons in the unity of the Godhead, the eternal generation of the Son, and procession of the holy Ghost, & many such like: 3. in that there are many things the knowledge whereof God imparteth not to any, but reserveth it wholly to himself; as the hour of men's natural death, and the day of judgment; and many things again there are which he revealeth to some, and not to others, according to that Matth. 11.25. I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to babes : and 4. in that he doth many things, the causes and reasons whereof the wisest of men are no way able to comprehend and search out; which as it is true in many natural things, (for who can exactly demonstrate the reason of the blowing of the winds, John. 3.8. & of the ebbing and flowing of the sea?) so much more in his higher acts of providence; as when he decreeth and bringeth about the sinful actions of wicked men, without being in the least degree the author of their sins, when he punisheth infants for the sins of their parents, and many other things of the like nature, of which we see what the Prophet saith, Isa. 45.15. Verily, thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel. Now however God hath much glorified himself by revealing many things to men, especially of his will and counsel concerning man's salvation; yet by this his concealing things in other regards from men, he hath brought far more glory to himself: and that because hereby it appeareth 1. how infinite and incomprehensible the wisdom of God is, the wisest being forced to cry out with the Apostle, Rom. 11.33. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 2. that God is to be believed in whatever he saith, because he hath said it, though man be not able to conceive how it should be; and 3. that God may do whatever he pleaseth, and that his will is the supreme rule of all justice, and that he is no way bound to give an account of anything that he saith or doth, Job 33.13. As for the following opposite clause, but the honor of kings is to search out a matter, the drift of that is, to show that the greatest of men must not think to be like God herein; but that even kings themselves ought to esteem it their honor, to advise and consult with their friends and counsellors in all their great affairs, and that it is indeed an honor to them, and that for which they shall be greatly loved & feared & reverenced, when they make diligent enquiry into the state of their kingdoms, & as far as may be into the secretest transactions of other neighbouring nations, so that no plot shall be so closely carried on at home or abroad, but that they shall discover it; when they shall with much pains search into all kind of knowledge, divine & human, especially that of their own laws, & whatever may best enable them for their government, & gain credit thereto; when they can search out the truth in the most intricate causes that are brought before them, as Solomon did in that of the two harlots, 1 King. 3. (see the Note also Job 29.16.) & when they are careful to clear unto the people the justice of all their judicial proceedings. This, I conceive, is that which Solomon intended in this obscure Proverb. Yet there are other Expositions given of it, which have likewise some probability in them. As 1. that it is for the glory of God that the Scripture, wherein he reveals his will to men, should be in many places obscure & hard to be understood; because, through the just judgment of God, some profane persons stumbling hereat, do despise it & cast it away, whilst the godly do with the greater diligence inquire into it, & reverencing it the more for this, are the more careful not rashly at any time to meddle with it: but that it is for the honor of kings, with all diligence to search the Scriptures, that they may be the better able to carry themselves in all things as God's vice-gerents. Yea because the following Proverbs in this place are for the most part the more intricate, because they are expressed under several similitudes & tropes & allegories, therefore with particular respect to them this may be premised, that it is for the glory of God thus to conceal things; but that it will be for the honor of kings to search out the meaning of them. And 2. that when God seeth the wickedness of men, & yet passeth it by as if he took no notice of it, this is for his glory, because hereby it is seen how infinitely longsuffering & patient he is; but that kings must not with us wink at the wickedness of men, it being much for their honor to search out and to punish notorious offenders. But the first exposition is clearly the best.

Vers. 3. The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable. ] That is, As no man can exactly search out the height of the heaven, or the depth of the earth; or, As no man can discover what is in the heaven above, because of its height, or what is in the earth beneath, because of its depth; so neither can men search out the hearts of kings, or discover the designs and counsels that are in their hearts. Now though this be generally true of all men's hearts, that other men cannot exactly know them, Jer. 17.9; yet it is here particularly affirmed of kings, as being more eminently so with them then with others: and that either because dissimulation is a chief piece of that policy, which they call king-craft; or else rather because the cares and counsels of kings must needs be so exceeding many, and their wisdom (when they are such as they ought to be) so exceeding great, and their aims and designs so high, and their projects so profound, and all these are usually carried on so closely, that other men are not able to reach them. And the drift of this Proverb is, either 1. to teach kings how they ought in this regard to carry themselves; or 2. to show that it is as vain and foolish a curiosity, (though many be much taken with it,) to go about to search out the secret designs of kings, as to search out the height of the heaven, or the depth of the earth; or else 3. to imply (as with reference to the foregoing verse) how much more impossible it must therefore needs be, to search out the counsels and judgments of God.

Vers. 4. Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer. ] That is, The silver being so refined, will be fit to be made into any vessel of plate by the work of the gold-smith.

Vers. 5. Take away the wicked from before the king, &c.] That is, let them be cut off, or banished either out of his kingdom, or out of his Court: and his throne shall be established in righteousness ; to wit, 1. because God is pleased with such impartial execution of justice upon offenders, and others will be hereby made the more careful to avoid all such ways of wickedness, both which will move God to bless and establish both king and kingdom; yea the more righteous the people are, the more faithful they will be to their king, even for conscience sake; and 2. because evil counsellors and flattering parasites, when they are the favorites of kings, and familiar with them, do usually hinder the justice that should be in his government, and by their oppression of the subjects, do alienate their affections from him, and both these tend to the ruin both of king and kingdom. See the Note also chap. 20.8.

Vers. 6. Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, &c.] To wit, either 1. by way of vaunting and boasting and exalting thyself above others, for thy knowledge, or wisdom, or any such thing; or 2. by way of slaunting it out in the bravery of thine attire, the gallantry of thine attendance, thine horses and chariots, or anything of that nature, as if thou meantest to vie with himself or his princes in these regards, (which is indeed perilous, because princes are wont to look upon such persons with a very malignant and jealous eye;) or, by way of intruding thyself to be near unto him, or of any bold carriage of thyself in his presence. And thus it may be much the same with that which follows, and stand not in the place of great men ; that is, thrust not thyself into those places, wherein Nobles, or at least persons of greater rank then thyself, should sit or stand; or, do not insinuate thyself into their company, or to sit cheek by jowle amongst them; or, do not ambitiously affect to be in offices and places of honor about kings. For indeed the affectation of being in kings Courts, and the ambitious striving to be in high places, is that against which this Proverb seems to be intended.

Vers. 7. For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; then that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom thine eyes have seen. ] As if he should have said, into whose presence thou hast ambitiously intruded thyself, even to be near to him, and then at last all that thou gettest by it is to be disgraced in his presence; or, who hath honored thee by admitting thee into his presence, and now by being present at thy disgrace doth increase thy shame. And it may seem that from hence our Savior took that parable of his, Luk 1.4.7, &c. concerning men's seating themselves in the lowest places when they are invited to any feast.

Vers. 8. Go not forth hastily to strive, &c.] That is, without just cause, or upon every trivial occasion, or rashly, before thou hast well considered of the business, and what the event of it is like to be, or before all fair means have been used to compose the difference in a peaceable way. As for that expression here used of going forth to strive, it may be meant either of going forth before the judgment-seat of the magistrate; or, as some would have it, of running forth in hasty anger, upon any word of displeasure heard, into the streets, there to chide or quarrel with a neighbor that hath so offended him; or else, it may be used to imply, that men should not meddle with other men's contentions, or rather, that they should not enter into strife of their own accord, unless they were forced and as it were drawn to it. Lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbor hath put thee to shame ; to wit, by foiling thee in thy suit, and so discovering the injustice of thy dealing with him, and haply causing thee to undergo some mulct or punishment; or, by prevailing against thee some other way to thy disgrace, wherewith thou wilt be so enraged, that, as a man bereaved of sense and reason, thou wilt not know in a manner what thou doest; or, whereby thou wilt be so puzzled, that thou wilt not know what to do, either in thine own defense, or against thine adversary, but mayest haply be transported to do something that may be dishonorable and prejudicial to thee.

Vers. 9. Debate thy cause with thy neighbor himself, &c.] That is, Argue the matter of difference which thou hast against thy neighbor between thee and him alone, and so make an end of it: and discover not a secret to another ; that is, let not others by your open contending, whether before the judge or elsewhere, be made privy to that secret quarrel that is betwixt thee and thy neighbor: or, however, if the cause be brought before others, be sure that thou do not then in the heat of anger upbraid him with any secret fault which thou knowest by him; keep close to the cause in hand, and run not out into any opprobrious terms by way of twitting him with other secret offenses of his, to which thou only were privy. This I conceive is the meaning of this Proverb. Yet some understand the last clause more generally, of all blazing abroad the secret offenses of men, or the secrets which they have been entrusted with, and accordingly they read it, and discover not the secret of another.

Vers. 10. Lest he that heareth it, put thee to shame, &c.] If by discovering a secret in the foregoing verse, we understand the bringing of a private difference to a public hearing, then accordingly this may be meant of men's condemning him for this when it shall come to be heard, or of his being censured for the injustice of his cause, and the shame he will undergo thereby, as before verse. 8. But if it be meant of a man's upbraiding his neighbor with any secret offense formerly known to him, whilst they are contending about some other matter of difference before a magistrate or otherwise, then this clause may be understood thus, Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame ; that is, Lest those that stand by and hear this, observing thy furious and revengeful spirit, do think the worse of thee and thy cause, and condemn thee for it in every place where they come. And last of all, if we understand the last clause of the foregoing verse of all blazing abroad any secret imparted to them, then this clause here may be understood two several ways: Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame ; that is, Lest those to whom thou dost discover thy neighbors secret, do afterwards spread it abroad to others, and so hereby thou comest to be generally talked of as a blab and tale-bearer: or, Lest thy neighbor that heareth it do upbraid thee for violating the laws of friendship in this case, and report it abroad to thy discredit, that thou art a treacherous unfaithful man, and one that cannot keep counsel. And thine infamy turn not away ; that is, and so this will turn to thy perpetual reproach: and by thy seeking to credit thyself by disgracing others, thou wilt at last bring the greatest discredit upon thyself.

Vers. 11. A word fitly spoken, &c.] That is, in season; see the Note chap. 15.23. Yet it may be meant also of that which is spoken to the purpose, and in a right manner, with all fitting vehemence or softness, elegancy or perspicuity. It is in the Hebrew, A word spoken upon his wheels, (the ground of which expression seems to be this, that when men speak in such a manner, their words are carried as it were with wheels, to wit, roundly and readily, into the ears and hearts of those that hear them, to affect them with that which is spoken, and to convince them of the truth of it; whereas without these due requisites in speaking, they go on heavily as a cart that is drawn without wheels.) Is like apples of gold in pictures of silver ; that is, most precious and pleasant. Now by these apples of gold in pictures of silver are meant, either pieces of gold cast or made in the form of apples, and then compassed about with a kind of silver net-work curiously wrought, through which the golden apples might appear; or else rather, pictures that are overlayed with silver, and then afterwards beautified with the gilded figures of oranges, pomegranates, apples, &c. or pictures engraven on tablets of silver, adorned with inlayed figures of apples of gold.

Vers. 12. As an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear. ] This may be added here as an instance of that which was said in the foregoing Proverb concerning the good that is done by a word fitly spoken. But yet it may be understood several ways: as 1. that a man that reproveth others with such wisdom that thereby he winneth them to hearken to his reproof, is a very precious treasure, as an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold : or 2. that a wise reprover, and one that is willing to hearken to such reproofs, are both in their place very precious; the one as an ear-ring of gold, the other as an ornament of fine gold : or 3. that as a golden ear-ring, and some precious jewel of fine gold hanging thereon, do most fitly agree, and are a mutual beautifying one to the other; so a faithful reprover, and one that submissively hearkeneth to his reproof, are not only suitable and well met, but are also mutually an honor each to the other: or 4. that a wise reprover, when he meets with one that is obedient to his reproofs (for otherwise a reproof never doth good) is an ornament to such a man, as is an ear-ring of gold to a man, or an ornament of fine gold, or as is an ear-ring when it hath also some precious costly jewel hanging upon it. The drift of the Proverb is, to show that it is no dishonor, but rather an honor, to a man to be faithfully reproved: though a reproof may be painful, as is the boring of the ear to put in an ear-ring, yet a wise reproof is the ears best ornament, to wit, when the ear is opened, digged or bored (as the word in the original signifieth in that place Psal. 40.6. mine ears hast thou opened ;) and that not only because it is a great honor to a man quietly to submit to a wise reproof, but also especially because the grace that is wrought in a man, and the manifold benefits that redound to him thereby, are a most choice and lovely ornament to him; and therefore every man should rather love then hate such a wise reprover.

Vers. 13. As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, &c.] That is, As the cold of snow in harvest (supposing it should then unexpectedly & miraculously fall,) or, As cold as sharp as that in snowy weather, or that is caused by winds that come from Northern snowy countries, or the hills and mountains where the snow lieth all the year long, doth exceedingly refresh men in the heat of summer, especially those that labor at harvest-work; or rather, As when men have cooled their hot wines or any other drink by setting it in the snow, (as they do in Spain and other hot countries, where they reserve it from winter to summer, or have it continually brought down to them from the tops of the mountains) this must needs exceedingly revive and refresh them in their drought and heat: so is a faithful messenger to them that send him ; to wit, both in regard of that hope and confidence they have in him, which doth somewhat refresh and ease their hearts in the midst of all their cares and fears, as at the very time when they do send him, so also all the time he is away from them; & likewise especially in regard of the good account that he is sure to give at his return, of the faithful dispatch of their business, which after such eager expectation, such longing & languishing desires, must needs be a great refreshing to them, & most of all if by his diligent dispatch he returns before he was expected.

Vers. 14. Who so boasteth himself of a false gift, &c.] To wit, by promising great things, which he never performeth: is like clouds and wind without rain ; because as such clouds & winds put men in hope of rain, but yield none, & so by the disappointment of men's hopes, their grief is the greater; so is it when a man promiseth great matters, and faileth those that thereupon expected much from him. But yet some conceive that this may be understood also of those that boast of gifts & graces and endowments, which indeed they have not. However such men, in regard of their aiery emptiness & high-flown pride, & loftiness of carriage, & withal their lightness & inconstancy, may well be compared to bustling mutable winds, & high-flying clouds, that never yield a drop of rain. And it may well be also that it is with reference to this place the Apostle Jude verse. 12. compares false teachers to clouds without water, carried about with winds: because such men, though they usually make a great vaunting show of high-flown notions, and much that is in them above other men; yet indeed they are mere vapors and empty nothings, unstable and changing with every wind, and all the glorious promises which they make to their disciples of pardon of sins, peace and liberty, are empty and deceitful. 2. Pet. 2.19.

Vers. 15. By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, &c.] That is, say some Expositors, When a Prince doth for a while forbear pouring forth his rage upon those with whom he is offended, his anger will cool by degrees, and then he may be easily persuaded to what is fitting. And if we thus understand this clause, then the next, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone, may be accordingly meant of a princes prevailing with a stiff, stubborn and tumultuous people, by fair and gentle language. But I rather understand the first clause of the forbearance of subjects or servants towards their prince, to wit, that if they can with patient silence bear whatever the prince saith or doth to them, forbearing to manifest the least discontent either by word or gesture, yea a while forbearing to beg pardon, this is the best way to pacify and persuade them. And to the same purpose is the following clause, that a soft tongue, that is, a soft answer, as it is chap. 15.1. mild and lowly language, breaketh the bone ; that is, overcometh the stoutest, the most stern and rigid men, that otherwise would never bend nor yield, and so appeaseth the greatest and hardest anger. There may be herein an allusion to some precious oil, that will not only supple the flesh, but also soak to the very bone, and have some operation thereon. But questionless the drift of Solomon in the expressions here used was to represent it as a strange thing, that so soft a piece of flesh as the tongue is should break a hard bone.

Vers. 16. Hast thou found honey? eat thou so much as is sufficient for thee; lest thou be filled, &c.] As if he should have said, Eat not excessively of the most pleasing meats; or more generally, be moderate in the use of those things, which for the sweet pleasure and delight they yield, men are naturally prone with much eagerness to desire, lest exceeding therein, they prove at last in the effects thereof bitter and distasteful, hurtful and dishonorable to you. But now many expositors conceive, that the lesson intended hereby is, that when a man hath met with a friend, whose conversation is pleasing and delightful to him, he must be careful that he be no way burdensome to him: and so accordingly they hold that the meaning of this similitude is set forth in the following verse, Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbors house, or, Let thy foot be seldom in thy neighbors house; lest he be weary of thee and hate thee.

Vers. 18. A man that beareth false witness against his neighbor, &c.] To wit, either by spreading abroad false reports of him, or by testifying anything that is false of him before a magistrate: is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow ; that is, he is by all manner of means mischievous to his neighbor, both to his person, his estate and good name; or, he is of all things the most mischievous to men, the wounds he gives are most deadly & incurable; that which he doth is all one as if he should beat out a man's brains with a club, or cut his throat, or let out his bowels with a sword, or strike his heart through with an arrow: and that not only because a man's good name is more precious to him then his life, but also because by false witnesses the very lives of men are often taken away.

Vers. 19. Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint. ] To wit, because it will both fail a man in a time of need, and likewise put him to much sorrow and misery, as a broken tooth will do when a man comes to chew his meat with it, and as a foot out of joint will do when a man offers to go upon it: and that not only because it must needs exceedingly vex and fret a man that he did put confidence in such an one; but also because such faithless men do often instead of helping their friend in his misery, become most cruel and deadly enemies to him; at least they are wont to cast some aspersions or other upon him, whom in his distress they forsake, as desiring thereby to excuse or justify themselves. Some make the ground of the similitude to be this, that as a broken tooth and a foot out of joint use to be full of pain in foul weather; so confidence in an unfaithful man bringeth great grief and misery upon men in the hour of affliction. But the former explication of the similitude is far the clearest.

Vers. 20. As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart. ] I know that most of our best Expositors do own a Translation of the words here in the Original, that is quite contrary to this in our Bibles, to wit, that As he that putteth on a garment in cold weather, and poureth vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart. And indeed according to this Translation the meaning of the Proverb is very plain: to wit, that as the putting on of garments in winter doth keep off cold, and warm the body, and as nitre is dissolved and wasted by vinegar; so doth music and singing and words of consolation allay or drive away the bitterness of a grieved spirit. But now according to our Translation, the sense of this Proverb must needs be directly opposite to that: to wit, that music and singing, and all other things tending to mirth and cheerfulness, are altogether unfitting and unseasonable for a man in great heaviness, and do increase the misery of him that was in misery enough before; even as it must needs be unfitting and unseasonable to strip a man of his garments in cold weather, and to pour vinegar upon nitre. Indeed because it is hard to determine certainly what this nitre was, therefore it must needs be hard to show wherein the similitude consists, betwixt pouring vinegar upon nitre, and singing songs to a heavy heart. It is usually said, (and it is gathered from that which Pliny and other ancient Authors have written hereof) that it was a kind of matter or substance, white in color like salt, and bitter in taste, usually found in Judea and Egypt, there being a place in Egypt that was thence called Nitria ; that it was by the heat of the Sun made of some kind of mould, or of rain or river-water in fenny countries, and was often so compacted by the Suns heat, that it would be as hard as a stone; and that it was commonly used, as in many physical ways, so also for clearing the skin of spots and freckles, and especially for the cleansing of woollen or linen clothes, and the taking out of stains and bloches that were in them, which is indeed evident by that of the Prophet Jer. 2.22. Though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much sope, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord God. Now hence we may in part conceive, why the singing of songs to a heavy heart is compared to vinegar upon nitre : to wit, either 1. because as vinegar doth hinder the cleansing quality of nitre, stains clothes, making them fowler rather then cleaner, & doth also in other respects hinder the virtue of the nitre; so is the singing of songs rather a trouble and vexation, then any refreshing to a man overwhelmed with sorrow: or 2. because as vinegar doth dissolve and mar the nitre, & being poured upon it maketh it burn & smoke & crackle, as lime with us will do when water is poured upon it; so songs & merriment do even melt the grieved soul, & are so far from allaying, that they rather mightily increase a man's heaviness. Besides that naturally passions opposed are wont to grow more violent: in the case here mentioned the heavy heart is apt to be afflicted, because others do not compassionate him in his miseries, & apt to suspect that they make his misery the ground of their songs & rejoicing.

Vers. 21. If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat, &c.] That is, any food that is requisite for him: whence it is that the Apostle Rom. 12.20. renders this in more general terms, Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him. And under this is comprehended the doing of any other office of love or courtesy for an enemy, which he stands in need of; as is evident by that which the Apostle addeth in the fore-cited place verse. 21. Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.

Vers. 22. For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, &c.] That is, say some, Hereby thou wilt cause him presently to cast away all hatred, & all thoughts of evil intended against thee, out of his heart, as a man, if coals of fire should be poured upon his head, would immediately strike or shake them off. And again, others understand it simply thus; that by thus returning good for evil to enemies, men shall manifest very ardent love to them, which God will surely requite, as is expressed in the following words, and the Lord shall reward thee. And others likewise thus; that hereby men shall cause the hearts of their enemies to burn within them either with terrors of conscience, grief, vexation or shame, appearing outwardly in the fiery blushing of their faces, because they have formerly hated and injured those that now have manifested such wonderful goodness & love to them; or else with fervent love towards them, whom they have formerly hated with a deadly hatred, and so of enemies shall become their friends. Yea & the most of Expositors also hold, that this expression of heaping coals of fire upon an enemies head may imply, that if he be not overcome by so many multiplied kindnesses heaped one upon another, feeding him when he is hungry, & giving him drink when he is thirsty, &c. this will bring the curse of God, yea the more heaps of wrath and punishments upon him. And thus Solomon, say they, sets down together what the effect of this would be, 1. upon his enemy, if he proved irreconcilable, to wit, that God would punish him; and 2. upon himself, and the Lord shall reward thee. But I rather think that in this figurative expression there is an allusion, either to a way that ancient Physicians had of curing apoplexies & phrensies, that proceeded from cold causes, by applying coals of fire to their heads; or else rather to the custom of founders, who by making great fires upon their metals, yea though it be the hardest iron or steel, do thereby melt them: and so that which is hereby implied is, that by showing kindness thus to an enemy, a man may cure him of all his former rancor; or else, that if an enemy be not wholly dross, if there be any metal of ingenuity or good nature in him, this would make him melt, and relent, and of an enemy become a friend. Nor do I see but that hereby also might be implied, that if with this an enemy were not as silver and gold melted and purged, then he would be as dross burnt up & consumed: for though a man ought by no means to make this his aim in doing good to an enemy, yet that doth not hinder but that Solomon might show us that thus it will be.

Vers. 23. The North-wind driveth away rain; so doth an angry countenance a back-biting tongue. ] This is plain. But now this may be read, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, The North-wind bringeth forth rain (& so the Rabbins say it doth in Judea, because of the watery clouds that are engendered by the Mid-land Sea that lieth on the North-west of that country;) so doth a back-biting tongue, that is sharp & bitter as the North-wind, an angry countenance, that is, a frowning cloudy discontented countenance: and that either 1. in those that are slandered & back-bitten by it; or 2. in those who upon slanderous tales reported to them, look angerly upon those that never deserved it at their hands; or 3. in those that by their angry looks intend to discountenance all tale-bearers, & send them packing away.

Vers. 24. It is better to dwell in a corner of the house top, then with a brawling woman, &c.] See the Note Chap. 21.9.

Vers. 25. As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. ] See the Note above verse. 13. It is said here from a far country, 1. because the businesses are for the most part very weighty about which we send into far countries; 2. because we hear seldom from thence, & so the longer we wait, & the greater our fears have been, the more welcome are good tidings from thence when they come. And this doubtless Solomon knew by experience, by reason of the navies which he sent forth into countries far remote from Jerusalem, 1 Kings 9.26, 27, 28. see also the Note above verse. 13.

Vers. 26. A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, & a corrupt spring. ] A righteous man in regard of his purity, the delight that men take in him, & the manifold great benefits that redound to many by him, may well be compared to some clear and pleasant spring that is for public use; see the Note Chap. 10.11. And accordingly, if by a righteous man falling down before the wicked, we should understand (as many do) a righteous man overcome, banished, imprisoned, or otherwise oppressed by wicked men, he may well be compared to a troubled fountain, & a corrupt spring, that is, a fountain or spring that is mudded, or stopped up with mire & filth; & that because he is thereby unjustly dishonored & disgraced, & kept from doing much good which otherwise he would do, & that by wicked men who are vile & base: & it must needs be judged to be against all right & reason, a very sad & deplorable thing, when men that are such public blessings should be thus suppressed & oppressed, when such precious fountains shall be thus mudded by the insultations of such wretches, as by the feet of so many beasts trampling upon them. Or 2. if by a righteous man falling down before the wicked, we understand, as others do, a good man so falling into any gross & scandalous sin, that wicked men take notice of it, it may well be said that he is as a troubled fountain, & a corrupt spring, that is, a mudded fountain, or, a spring marred with the mixture of any unwholesome waters, or by the casting in of any poison or carrion into it: and that both because such a man doth hereby loose his former honor and credit, & is dishonored & disgraced, (for wicked men will be sure in such a case to insult over him, & to spread abroad & aggravate his sin by all possible ways;) and likewise because he becomes hereby either hurtful, poisoning & corrupting others by his example, or at least useless or unprofitable, in that men will no more thenceforth hearken to any instruction or advice of his, then they will drink of mudded or stinking water. But rather the righteous falling down before the wicked, here intended by Solomon, is a righteous man crouching & bowing before a wicked man in any way of servile flattery, or yielding by any way of base compliance to his commands, or that falls from his integrity for fear of his wrath, or in hope of his favor; either by neglecting to do his duty (as when he shall not dare to reprove him, or to make profession of the truth, &c.) or by doing anything against conscience, which he knoweth to be evil. And he is said to be as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring, because those natural corruptions, that lay before in him, as so much mud or gravel at the bottom of a clear fountain, being stirred up by the seducements of wicked men, the purity of his soul & life is hereby mudded with carnal respects & worldly interests; & so he that was before highly honored, & a great Blessing to the place where he lived, becomes hereby (which is a thing very lamentable) worthless & base, rather hurtful then profitable to any.

Vers. 27. It is not good to eat much honey, &c.] That is, it is very hurtful, in that it breeds choler, & so brings men into many dangerous diseases; but see the Notes chap. 17.26. & 18.5: so for men to search their own glory, is not glory ; that is, for men to seek the praise & applause of men, or any place of honor & dignity above others, (which are naturally indeed to men as sweet as honey) is so far from being an honor & glory to men, that it is rather base & dishonorable. To enjoy any of these upon due cause is a blessing from God; but ambitiously to hunt after them▪ & not to seek the glory of God only, is vain-glory, & maketh men vile & despicable: the more men labor for them, the more unworthy they are of them.

Vers. 28. He that hath no rule over his own spirit, &c.] See the Note chap. 16.32. is like a city that is broken down and without walls ; that is, he is continually in desperate danger: to wit, because as when a town is dismantled of her walls, any • ody may go out & come in at their pleasure, which often brings ruin to it, and it lieth always open to the incursion of enemies; so when a man hath no command of his corrupt affections, many things proceed from him in word & deed, which bring mischief upon him, & his enemies, evil spirits & wicked men, may at all times break in upon him, & prevail over him, & bring him into bondage, & make him do whatever they please. Man was once in the state of innocence, as a well-walled city: but Satan having broken down this wall by the sin of our first parents, unless it be repaired again by renewing grace, every man, by reason of the violence of his corrupt passions, is continually liable to be made a prey to his spiritual enemies.

CHAP. XXVI.

Vers. 1. AS snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, &c.] See the Note 1 Sam. 12.17: so honor, that is, praise & preferment, is not seemly for a fool ; to wit, 1. because they belong not to him; they should be the reward of wisdom & virtue; disgrace & dishonor are fitter for him; & therefore it is against justice & reason that such should be honored: 2. consequently, because it is unsuitable, it is uncomely, enough to offend those that behold it; so far it is from being any ornament to him, that it makes his folly the more to be taken notice of: & 3. because a fool knoweth not how to make use of it, but will rather be sure to abuse it, both to his own hurt, being puffed up thereby, & to the hurt of others. And indeed, as snow in summer & rain in harvest are the curses & scourges of God upon a land; so are wicked fools when exalted to places of honor: & as snow in summer would be looked upon as a kind of ominous thing; so may we look upon the advancement of such men, as presaging much evil to the places where they live.

Vers. 2. As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come. ] Many several ways this similitude may be applied, & that not without good probability. For the meaning may be, 1. that as no man can appoint the flying bird where it shall light & rest itself, but it wandreth & roveth up & down where it pleaseth; so neither can any man by cursing cause any evil to fall upon him that hath not deserved it: 2. that as the flying & roving of a bird in her flight can no way hurt a man, & is therefore no way to be feared; so neither can anybody be the worse for a causeless curse: 3. that a causeless curse never comes to anything, but passeth away with a breath, & as a bird flieth away in the air: & 4. that as birds, when they see the fowler, the nets, snares or pit-falls that are set for them, do easily by flying get away, & save themselves; so shall a man be always secured from a causeless curse, it shall never come nigh him, he needs not fear it.

Vers. 3. A whip for the horse, a bridle for the asse, &c.] To wit, that the rider may rule and turn him, which way he pleaseth, (for Solomon speaketh here after the custom of his own country, where they used horses either only or chiefly in the war, or for drawing, & asses to ride on:) & a rod for the fools back ; for which see the Note Chap. 10.13.

Vers. 4. Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. ] And then it follows in the next verse, Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit : and yet there is no contradiction betwixt these two sentences, but they may both be reconciled together; and that three several ways. For the meaning may be, 1▪ that men must not answer a fool according to his folly, to wit, by way of consenting to him, flattering or encouraging him in his folly and wickedness, lest hereby they become partakers with him in his folly & wickedness: but that they must answer a fool according to his folly, to wit, by giving him such an answer as his folly or wickedness requireth, as namely, by reproving him, & discovering his folly to him, &c. lest by sparing him he be puffed up in his own conceit. Or 2. that according as the folly of a wicked fool is, sometimes men ought not to vouchsafe him an answer, & sometimes it is sit on the other side that they should answer him; circumstances of time, & place, & persons, & things, must be all duly herein observed. As for instance, if he be known to be an incorrigible scorner, see Chap. 9.8. or if he be a half-headed man, or one distempered with drink, that knows not well what he saith, or if he be one that is of a contentious spirit, that will not be convinced nor yield whatever is said to him, or that he be in the company of profane scoffers, in this case he that should answer him would thereby become like unto him, seeing it would be manifest folly to be so far moved with his words, as to vouchsafe him an answer, or at least to answer him so unseasonably; & it would be to no more purpose to instruct & admonish or reprove such a one, then it would be to hold a candle to a blind man, to talk to a deaf man, or to instruct a brute beast: yea & besides, by undertaking to answer such an one, a man may be drawn to break forth into many words (wherein there is usually some folly or vanity, Eccles. 5.7.) or into passion & anger, & it may be to blows, & so be as culpable in point of folly as the other was whom he undertook to answer. But then on the other side, if a man perceives that by his silence the glory of God may be obscured, or some scandal & offense may be given, or that the fool be like to conclude from hence that he is in the right, & so to become thereby the more insolent, & to do the more mischief, then it is fit he should reprove the fool, & make him know his absurdities & folly, that he may not grow wise in his own conceit. Or 3. that a man must not answer a fool according to his folly, that is, he must not answer a fool foolishly, to wit, neither by conforming himself to his vain jangling, & weak manner of reasoning, nor by speaking rashly & furiously as he did, nor by returning scoffs for scoffs, & reviling for reviling; because hereby the answerer will show himself to be as very a fool as the other: and yet that a man must likewise answer a fool according to his folly, namely, by confuting his errors, & reproving his misdemeanors, with all wisdom & gravity, that he may see his folly, lest otherwise he continue in his ignorance & folly, & be withal wise in his own conceit. And indeed this last Exposition I like the best. But withal I may add, that some make the sense of both verses to be this; that a fool ought not to be answered with words, but with a rod & correction.

Vers. 6. He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool, cutteth off the feet, &c.] That is, he is as one that cutteth off his own feet: to wit, either 1. because he carrieth himself as if he had no feet, since no man that were able to go himself, would not rather endure the pains of that journey, then commit a business of moment & weight to the trust of a fool; or, 2. because by the folly of his messenger he hath brought his affairs into such a desperate lost condition, that he can no more hope by going afterward himself to bring his business into a better estate, then he could hope to go, when he had already cut off his feet; or 3. because he doth thereby greatly hurt himself, or bring great vexations upon himself, yea it may be looseth his very life; or rather, he is as one that should cut off a man's feet, and then send him on a message, it being as impossible that a fool should well manage any message committed to him, as that a man should go without feet. As for the following clause, and drinketh damage or violence, the meaning of that must needs be, either 1. that he must be content to swallow down all the damage that shall befall him in his estate, his good name, or any other way, by his messengers folly in the ill-ordering of his business; or, 2. that he must needs be filled with sorrow and discontent for the damage that redounds to him, by entrusting such an one with such weighty affairs, the miscarriage thereof being as grievous to him, as if he had drunk something that agreeth not with his stomach; or 3. that he usually undergoeth trouble thereby, in that through the folly of his messenger, they to whom he was sent being highly enraged, do often fall upon him some way or other with a great deal of violence.

Vers. 7. The legs of the lame are not equal, &c.] And consequently by reason of his halting caused thereby, and the writhing of his body now one way and then another, his going is very uncomely: so is a parable in the mouth of fools ; that is, it no way becomes them; see the Note chap. 17.7: and that especially, because the wise and holy sentences, and Scripture-expressions which such men will often have in their mouths, do not suit well neither 1. with the wickedness of their hearts; nor 2. with their uneven walking in their lives & conversation; nor 3. with their other speeches, as when they curse and swear & lie, &c nor 4. with those things to which they do usually apply them: & that because a fool knoweth not how to frame a comparison or similitude, but if he undertaketh to do it, as we use to say, it halts most grossly; and when he would make use of any wise sentence, he doth it for the most part lamely. So that in a word, as sitting is most comely for a lame man, so is silence most comely for a fool.

Vers. 8. As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honor to a fool. ] This may be understood several ways: as 1. that as it is a foolish thing, and mere lost labor, to bind or fast to tie up a stone in a sling, because when a man comes to whirl the sling, the stone so fastened in it will not be thrown out; so it is to no purpose, & mere lost labor, to give honor to a fool, because he will never be able to make any good use of it: or 2. that honor by way of praise or preferment given to a fool is as a stone put into a sling, that is presently cast out and lost; & that because a fool will soon by his folly forfeit his preferment, and wipe off his praises, & show that they no way belonged to him. But now this Proverb may be read, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, As he that putteth a precious stone in a heap of stones, so is he that giveth honor to a fool : and then the meaning must needs be, that as it is an act of great folly to put a precious stone or jewel into an heap of ordinary stones, that's no place for it, there will no notice be taken of it there, but it is like to be trampled under feet and lost; so it is an absurd and foolish thing to bestow honor upon a fool, and that because honor so disposed no man will esteem, neither is honor there in its proper place; it is as if a man should hang a smoky kitchen with curious tapestry hangings, or set a chamber-pot upon the cupboards head amongst the plate. See the Note above verse. 1.

Vers. 9. As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools. ] If by the going up of a thorn into the drunkards hand be meant the running of it into the flesh of his hand, then the meaning of this proverb may be, either 1. that as a drunkard being besides himself, nor well seeing or knowing what he doeth, whilst he thinks to catch at a rose, or any other flower or fruit, doth instead thereof lay hold on some thorn or briar, and so sorely pricketh and scratcheth himself, and is exposed to the laughter and derision of all that are about him; so when a fool void of true wisdom and understanding, thinks with a great deal of gravity to make use of some wise parable, he doeth it so sillily, that he thereby wrongs and shameth himself, and becomes ridiculous to those that hear him: or 2. that as a thorn runneth up into the hand of a drunkard, and yet he feels it not; so any wise saying in the mouth of a fool tends to his shame, either because he doth foolishly make use of it, or because it discovers the wickedness of his life not agreeable thereto, but yet all the while he never perceiveth it. But now if by the going up of a thorn into the hand of a drunkard be meant, a thorns happening to come into a fools hand, or his holding or lifting up a thorn or a goad in his hand, then the meaning of the Proverb seems to be, that as a drunkard being deprived of the use of his reason, and having such a thorn or goad in his hand, doth usually abuse it to his own hurt and the hurt of others, pricking and scratching therewith, sometimes himself, and sometimes others that are about him; so a senseless wicked fool is so far from well using any wise and holy sentences, any religious speeches or passages of Scripture, that he doth usually pervert and abuse them, (according to that of the Apostle Peter, 2 Pet. 3.16. where speaking of some obscure passages in Paul's Epistles, he saith, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction ) and doth thereby many ways hurt both himself and others: himself, both because his perverting and profaning and abusing of such holy sentences and speeches doth notably discover his folly and wickedness, to his shame, and may perhaps secretly gall his conscience, but also because such a man's tongue shall condemn him, and his judgment shall be the greater; and then others, not only because he seeks thereby to jear and abuse the holy servants of God, but also because it must needs be a vexation to every good man, to hear a wicked profane fool so basely & mischievously to abuse sacred things, and because many are brought hereby even to abhor religion itself. And this, I conceive, is the fairest exposition of the words. Only let me add, that because by a parable in Scripture sometimes a taunting proverb is meant, (see the Note Numb. 21.27.) therefore the meaning may be also, that as a drunkard having got a thorn in his hand, is wont to lay about him therewith, & doth usually hurt both himself & others; so doth a fool usually, when he hath gotten a taunting parable in his mouth, he is ready therewith to abuse every man that comes nigh him, though indeed by reproaching others, he doth chiefly wrong and abuse himself.

Vers. 10. The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors. ] This may be understood three several ways: as namely, that the great God, who being the Creator, is therefore the Lord of all the creatures, doth 1. punish according to their deserts, both those that sin through folly & ignorance, & those that sin wittingly & against conscience; or 2. doth reward any good done by such men with temporal blessings; or 3. doth give food & raimēt, & all other necessaries, both to fools & to wicked ungodly men, as well as to the wise & righteous, according to that Mat. 5.45. He maketh his sun to rise on the evil & on the good, & sendeth rain on the just & on the unjust ; & this he calls rewarding them, because these outward things are such things as Lord's are wont to give to their bond-slaves, as their pay for their labor. But now if we read this Proverb, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, A great man grieveth all, & he hireth the fool, he hireth also transgressors, then the meaning must be, either 1. that usually the great men of the world do vex & oppress all that live under their power, & to the end they may the better bring their purposes to pass, are wont to hire for their soldiers, servants & officers, the worst sort of men, both fools & knaves, both those that are void of all true wisdom & goodness, & those that are desperately wicked, that will not stick to aid them in all their detestable designs; or 2. that great men & tyrants are wont to lay heavy taxes upon the people, & then to bestow what they wrest thus from their subjects upon fools and parasites.

Vers. 11. As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly. ] This Proverb is cited by Peter, 2 Pet. 2.22. And the drift of it is to show, 1. how filthy & loathsome a thing sin is, like a dogs vomit; 2. how abominable a thing it is to return to a forsaken sin; 3. that usually fools forsake their sins for a time, not because they begin to hate the sin, but merely because of the terrors of their consciences, or some evil their sins have brought upon them; as the dog casts up what he hath eaten, not because he dislikes the meat, but because it griped his stomach, & made him sick; & 4. how brutish wicked fools are, that will return to those very sins, that have perhaps lately brought such gripings of conscience and other great miseries upon them, even as a dog licks up his vomit, forgetting the pains which a little before it had wrought in his bowels.

Vers. 12. Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool then of him. ] That is, of a simple ignorant, or a wicked man: and that because the one will be instructed, the other will not; the one sins of ignorance, the other against knowledge: & then besides, God resisteth the proud, & giveth grace to the humble, Ja. 4.6.

Vers. 13. The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way, &c.] See the Note ch. 22.13.

Ver. 14. As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed. ] That is, he turneth now one way, & then another, but still continues in his bed; as the door still continues upon the hinges. Which is said, either to show the vanity of the sluggards good purposes, that though sometimes he may move himself as intending to rise, yet presently he turneth to his rest again; or else the absurdity of his sloth, that though he be awake, and be weary with lying, or have slept so exceeding long that his sleeps become short and troublesome, and that makes him so often toss up and down, yet rise he will not.

Vers. 15. The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom, &c.] See the Note chap. 19.24.

Vers. 16. The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit then seven men that can render a reason. ] The meaning may be, that 1. he thinks himself wiser then many wise men dissuading him from his slothfulness, yea though they allege never such clear and convincing reasons for that which they say, and therefore will not hearken to them; or, 2. that he thinks he hath more knowledge then the wisest of men, even those that can render a reason of everything they do or say, or that can give prudent & fit answers to those that ask their advice, and that therefore he needs not take pains to get knowledge, or go to these wise men to be instructed by them, seeing he knoweth already as much as they; or 3. that he thinks himself wiser then the wisest of men, because they toil themselves and break their brains that they may attain to such wisdom, whereas he the whilst taketh his ease and pleasure, which he concludeth to be far the greater wisdom. See the Notes Eccles. 4.5, 6.

Vers. 17. He that passeth by and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears. ] That is, he dealeth as foolishly and absurdly, as he that taketh a dog by the ears: & that either 1. because, as he that taketh a dog by the ears doth thereby unadvisedly & needlessly provoke the dog, & expose himself to the danger of having the dog fly in his face, and perhaps of being bitten sorely by him, & that both in regard that dogs cannot endure to have their ears touched, especially when they are fighting or otherwise enraged, & likewise in regard that it is a very hard thing to hold a dog by the ears; so he that intermeddleth with strife that belongeth not to him, doth thereby causelessly expose himself to much danger, ill language, stripes & wounds being all that a man usually gets by such intermeddling: or 2. because, as he that holdeth a dog by the ears is in danger to be bitten, whether he holds him fast or whether he lets him go; so he that meddleth in this kind with other men's quarrels, is in danger to have either the one or the other of the parties quarrelling to fall upon him; or he is like to suffer by it, whatever course he takes; in that if he gives over the strife, the party or parties, whom he had formerly so provoked to contend with him, will be encouraged thereby to fly the more violently upon him, & if he pursues the strife, he must then neglect his own affairs, & suffer all to go to wrack, that he may follow the quarrel that hath been causelessly thus raised betwixt him & others. Now this may be meant of those that intermeddle with composing of quarrels, if they do it rashly, foolishly, & without a just call to do it; (for though in a prudent manner to seek to make peace between parties contending be very commendable; yet it is not so if a man do it rashly, & with rugged reproofs, men's ears in the heat of their contending being no more able to endure that, then a dog will endure one to pluck him by the ears) & therefore in so doing men are only like to bring mischief upon themselves: or else rather it is meant of those that meddle in strife that belongs not to them, to wit, by taking part with one against another, or by any way of blowing the coals of contention between them, whereby men do indeed most causelessly expose themselves to danger.

Vers. 18. As a mad man who casteth fire-brands, &c.] To wit, to set houses on fire, or to mischief the persons of those at whom he throws them: arrows and death ; that is, other such like instruments of death.

Vers. 19. So is the man that deceiveth his neighbor, and saith, Am not I in sport? ] That is, The man that doth seduce, or in any fraudulent way wrong or abuse his neighbor, and then thinks to excuse it by pretending sport & merriment, is no otherwise to be esteemed then as such a mad-man: to wit, because he is as mischievous as such an one can be, not caring what mischief he doeth; seeing, as no man will punish or be offended with a distracted man when he doeth such things, in regard that he knoweth not what he doeth, so he thinks after the same manner to wipe off all blame from himself, by alleging that he intended no evil, but that all was done in sport, and therefore would still be accounted as a friend. Some Expositors limit this to such jesting & sporting companions, as are wont to abuse those with whom they converse by words & deeds, that pierce them to their very hearts, and then think to excuse themselves with saying that all was done in merriment. But however the drift of this Proverb is, to show that these kind of men are of all men the worst and most unsufferable, and that such mad-merry men are carefully to be avoided as so many Bedlams.

Vers. 22. The words of a tale-bearer are as wounds, &c.] See the Note chap. 18.8.

Vers. 23. Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a pot-sheard covered with silver dross. ] Some by burning lips understand lips that utter words full of fiery hatred & fury, or lips that by slandering & backbiting are wont to kindle strife amongst men; & by an evil heart, a malicious heart: & accordingly they conceive that these are compared to a pot-sheard covered with silver dross, only to imply that they are suitable the one to the other, as silver dross is suitable to an earthen pot-sheard, both naught; such a man by his words showeth what he is, being stark naught both within and without. But I question not but that by burning lips are meant glossing, fawning & flattering lips, that make a show of a great deal of hot fervent love, but hiding under them a false heart, that thinks otherwise then such lips make show of. And accordingly these are said to be like a pot-sheard covered with silver dross, because though such lips may make a fair show, as the silver dross doth, which silly people may take to be true silver; yet 1. in truth they are both worthless and contemptible, no better then dross upon earth or dirt; and 2. such counterfeit shows of love will be found to be but a cover of a malicious heart, in regard that as the dross doth not change the pot-sheard, and therefore, either by the mouldering away of the dross or the breaking of the pot-sheard, it will be ere long discovered what it is, so neither doth such flattering language change the heart, but it remaineth full of malice, which will quickly some way or other discover itself.

Vers. 24. He that hateth, dissembleth with his lips, &c.] To wit, as concealing his hatred, and making perhaps a show of great love: and layeth up deceit within him ; that is, he intendeth thereby to deceive him, and plotteth to bring some mischief closely and cunningly upon him, waiting his opportunity that he may the better effect it. Indeed the first clause may be read, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, He that hateth is known by his lips, &c. and then the meaning must be, that though he hath nothing but mischief and deceit in his heart, yet he will not be able so to conceal it, but that it will be discovered; either his very flatteries, being so gross and excessive, or at least somewhat that will slip from him, will betray his malice. But the first exposition is the best, as appears clearly in the following verse, When he speaketh fair, believe him not, &c.

Vers. 26. Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shown before the whole congregation. ) Some understand these words thus; that when a malicious man dissembleth his malice, if the man he hateth be in likelihood to be chosen to any place of honor, or, on the contrary, be called in question for anything in any public judicature, then such a dissembler, either to prevent his advancement, or to hasten his ruin, will be sure to show himself, and to lay on load upon him, and so his malice will be discovered and abhorred by all men. But with the current of Expositors, I rather take it thus; that the wickedness of a malicious dissembler shall be shown before the whole congregation, that is, it shall be some way openly and plainly discovered, that all men in a manner shall take notice of it. Or if we will understand it literally of public assemblies, then the meaning must be, that such a dissembler shall by some special hand of providence be wound in to vent his malice in some way of villainy upon him, whom he hath so long secretly hated, for which being questioned, and punished by public order of justice, his malice shall by that means be discovered before the whole congregation: or else we must refer it to that great day of Christ's judging the world, when the Lord will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts, 1 Cor. 4.5. But now if we read this Proverb, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, whose hatred is covered in secret, his wickedness shall be shown before the whole congregation, then clearly the drift of the words is only to imply, that though he keeps it never so close to himself, yet sooner or later it shall be known to all the people.

Vers. 27. Whoso diggeth a pit, shall fall therein, &c.] In those times hunters were wont to dig pits, and then to cover them over cunningly, as if they were firm ground, that so when the wild beasts they pursued were running over them, they might fall into them and be taken. Now because whilst they were digging these pits, the earth sometimes fell upon them and overwhelmed them, and whilst they were pursuing such wild beasts, they did often themselves unawares fall into these pits; in reference hereto, it is said of those that fall into that mischief which they have contrived to bring upon others, that whoso diggeth a pit, shall fall therein. And to the same purpose is that which follows, and he that rolleth a stone, to wit, up hill, and with a purpose there to do some mischief with it, it will return upon him ; that is, it often falls back upon him, and so destroys him. See also the Note Psal. 7.16.

Vers. 28. A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it, &c.] Either the meaning is, that he that afflicts or hurts any man with a lying tongue, to wit, by slandering him, or by flattering him, when he intends him mischief, or by any other way of deceit or falsehood, doth indeed, let him pretend what he will, hate him whom he thus wrongs; or else rather, that he that hath injured a man by his lying tongue, doth forever after hate him whom he hath thus injured, and would be glad to see him utterly destroyed; and that because he persuadeth himself that such a man must needs hate him, and feareth lest he should study revenge against him: and a flattering mouth worketh ruin ; to wit, by drawing men through his flatteries into those ways of wickedness which prove their ruin, or by bringing his mischievous purposes the better to pass thereby, the man that is flattered not fearing anything, or by drawing in others through his flatteries to promote his wicked designs. The drift therefore of the Proverb may be, to show, either, that though the man that hath wronged his neighbor with his lying tongue, must needs inwardly hate him whom he hath thus wronged, yet he dares not seek his ruin, but by a way of flattery; or else, that the flatterer doth ruin men by his flatteries, as well as he that afflicts them by his lies or false witness; only the one doeth it openly, and the other secretly.

CHAP. XXVII.

Vers. 1. BOast not thyself of tomorrow, &c.] That is, of anything thou intendest to do, or anything which thou thinkest to have or enjoy tomorrow: for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth ; to wit, either the present day, or the morrow-day; thou knowest not what may happen this day to prevent thine expectations tomorrow, or what may come to pass tomorrow contrary to thine expectations this day. As no man knoweth what is in the womb of a woman with child, till the child be born; so no man can tell what a day, which is big, as I may say, with God's decrees, will bring forth, till it suddenly comes to pass. Now the drift of this Proverb is, to show the folly of all vain boasting of future things, and likewise of all delaying to do what it is fit should be presently done, upon pretence of doing it hereafter.

Vers. 2. Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth, &c.] As if he should have said, So behave thyself, that other men may praise thee; but however praise not thyself. And indeed, unless there be a necessity for it, as when it is for the vindicating of a man's own innocence, or when the not doing of it is likely to tend to the hindrance of the truth, the hurt of the Church, or the impairing of God's glory, it is both an unseemly and an unfitting thing for men to praise themselves. Besides that such praises may be justly suspected, it discovers much vain-glory and folly in him that doeth it; whence it is that the Apostle Paul, being forced in his own defense to praise himself, doth often use that expression 2 Cor. 12. I speak as a fool. And to the same purpose are the next words, a stranger, and not thine own lips. Yet some would have it, that the word stranger is here added, because to be praised by a man's own kindred, or near relations, is all one as if his own mouth should praise him.

Vers 3. A stone is heavy, & the sand weighty; but a fools wrath is heavier then them both. ] Whether a fools wrath be expressed by some great mischief, which may well be compared to some huge massy ston • e, or by many frequent quarrellings and lesser wrongs, which may well be compared to a load of sand, it is heavier the • either stone or sand, that is, it is more intolerable and harder to be born; and that because a fools wrath is usually causeless, and against all reason, it is boundless and endless, there is no dealing with such men, no pacifying of them: and it is also more mischievous to men, and that especially because it crusheth and oppresseth the minds and souls of men, whose pressures are most grievous; neither are any indeed but the wiser sort of men able to bear the burden of it.

Vers. 4. Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous, &c.] In the Hebrew it is, and anger an overflowing, that is, it will not be kept within bounds, but breaks out, and is like overflowing waters, that carry all before them with unresistable violence: but who can stand before envy ? or, jealousy ? for which see the Note chap. 6.34. The meaning is, that envy is more dangerous then either wrath or anger: and that 1. because envy (which hideth itself, as being ashamed of its cause) doth secretly seek the ruin of men, and so cannot be avoided; whereas wrath and anger do presently show themselves: and 2. because, whereas wrath and anger will of itself soon be over, and come to nothing, at least they may be appeased, especially with benefits; envy is rather increased by such means, and can no way be appeased, but is endless and boundless in its rage. See the Note also chap. 14.30.

Vers. 5. Open rebuke is better then secret love. ] By open rebuke is not meant a public rebuke before many witnesses, (for that in many cases is not fitting) but a plain and free reproof without any dissimulation, and to a man's face, rather then behind his back. And this is said to be better then secret love, that is, good will pretended, but no way expressed; or, not discovered as it ought to be, by reproving men for their sins. And the reason is, because such open reproofs discover the reprovers to be faithful friends, and tend to the good of the reproved, which secret love doth not. Yea this may be extended also to the reproof of an enemy, that cares not how he shames a man by blazing his faults openly: and thus even such reproofs may be said to be better, that is, more profitable, then secret love.

Vers. 6. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, &c.] That is, the sharp and piercing reproofs and chastisements of a friend; to wit, because they proceed from an upright heart, and a sincere desire of the good of the party reproved, and because men in so doing do the part of a faithful friend: but the kisses, that is, the fawnings and flatteries, of an enemy are deceitful ; or, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, earnest, or, frequent ; to wit, that under the pretence of very fervent love, he may the better deceive.

Vers. 8. As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place. ] This is several ways understood by Expositors: as 1. that as a bird leaveth not her nest, but to seek meat for herself and her young ones; so neither ought a man to leave his calling & family, but upon such necessary occasions: or 2. that as God by his providence feedeth the bird that thus flieth abroad for her provision; so will God provide for the man that seeks about in a lawful way to get a livelihood for him & his: or 3. that a man who t • rries not at home, but wanders up & down abroad, not minding his family, is like a bird that wanders up & down from place to place, & minds not her young ones. But the truest & most genuine Exposition I take to be this: that by a man that wandreth from his place is meant, a man that, out of mere lightness & inconstancy, or out of timorousness, or any such like cause, not having any just ground or warrant for it, is never contented with his present state or condition or calling, but loveth to be changing, & can never stay long in one place or way; & that such a one is compared to a bird that wandreth from her nest, that is, that leaves her nest, & is still flirting abroad & roving from one place to another, to imply thereby, either 1. that such a man is no wiser, nor better stayed, then such a bird is; or 2. that he is no more likely of his own accord to settle himself anywhere, then such a bird is anywhere to repose herself; or 3. that as a bird is never so safe as in her nest, (especially amongst the Jews, where God had provided that a bird should not be molested in her nest, Deut. 22.6, 7.) being abroad she is liable to manifold mischiefs, & doth many times come short home; so it is with those that are still leaping out of one place & calling into another: whereas at home they lived quietly, & in the good esteem of their neighbors, being got so abroad, they wander they know not where, & many times some mischief befalls them. Yea & some think that Solomon spake this principally with reference to those birds that are wont to fly away from those regions where it begins to be cold, into some warmer country; & that because such birds at those times are wont to be killed in great numbers, & so are the fitter to represent the danger of those that abide not in their calling, but are ever seeking to change their condition.

Vers. 9. Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart; so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel. ) See the Note Psal. 55.14.

Vers. 10. Thine own friend and thy fathers friend forsake not, &c.] To wit, neither the one nor the other; or, him that hath been both the one and the other: neither go into thy brothers house in the day of thy calamity ; as if he should have said, having such an ancient approved friend, in all thy straits make use of him rather then any kinsman or brother; & that not only because such friends do many times (though it be not always so) love more affectionately then brothers, but also especially, because such friends do usually dwell together, (neighbourhood being commonly the original of such firm & faithful friendship) & so are able to help one another sooner, & oftener, then a brother dwelling far off can possibly do: whence that last clause is added, for better is a neighbor that is near, then a brother far off ; to wit, when a neighbor is such an ancient approved friend; or, this may be spoken as arguing from the less to the greater, that if a neighbor, much more a friend is better then a brother.

Vers. 11. My son, &c.] See the Note Chap. 1.8: be wise, & make my heart glad ; see the Notes Chap. 23.15. & 10.1: that I may have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me ; that is, that by the discovery of thy wisdom in time to come, I may be able to show the folly of those that now would reproach me, for not giving thee good education.

Vers. 12. A prudent man foreseeth the evil, &c.] See the Note Chap. 22.3.

Vers. 13. Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, &c.] See the Note Chap. 20.16.

Vers. 14. He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him. ] I conceive that there is in these expressions an allusion to a practice that was customarily used in those times, namely, that flattering parasites were wont to go to the doors of great men, & that very early in the morning before it was day, as affecting to out-strip others, & to be the first in that service, & there with a loud voice, that all the neighbors might hear them, to proclaim their goodness & bounty by some forms of salutation or prayer, which were then used, as, Long live such or such an illustrious Prince, &c. or, God save my noble worthy bountiful benefactor or Patron, &c. or such like. And by saying that when a man thus blesseth his friend, it shall be counted a curse to him, Solomon's meaning is, that as this, so all other unseasonable & immoderate praisings of men to their faces, & in the hearing of others, are no better, nor can be any better esteemed or endured by wise men, (& much less is God like to esteem otherwise of them,) then if they were so many direct imprecations: & that 1. because such ways of praising men cannot but be discerned to be palpable flatteries, & that men do it merely to curry favor with such great ones, whereas indeed they do rather hate & curse them in their hearts; 2. because if a man should accept of such flatteries, men might have just cause to account him a vain-glorious fool, one that affected to be praised, yet could not discern betwixt those that praised him, & those that did only delude & deride him; & 3. because such flatteries do exceeding much hurt to those that are so flattered in spiritual respects. Yet some understand that last clause, it shall be counted a curse to him, thus; that such a way of praising a man's friends shall prove a curse to him that so praiseth them, in that everyone shall count him a fawning parasite, which shall be much to his reproach.

Vers. 15. A continual dropping in a very rainy day, & a contentious woman, are alike. ) See the Note Chap. 19.13. Yet the meaning may be also, that as the one will not suffer men to stay abroad, so neither will the other suffer them to abide within doors.

Vers. 16. Whosoever hideth her, &c.] That is, Whosoever goeth about to order her so, that she may not discover her outrage by her chiding & brawling, or at least that her loud out-cries may not be heard, & that so it may not be known what she is, both to her own & her husbands shame, as namely by using her with all possible kindness & gentleness, that she may not be angry, or by not answering her again, or by seeking to pacify her when she begins to be angry, & to hush her brawling & scolding, or by shutting her up in some place that neighbors may not hear her: such a one hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself ; that is, he undertakes that which is as impossible, as if he should undertake to shut up the whistling wind in any place, or to hold it in his hand, that it should not blow, & that the noise thereof should not be heard, or to hold some odoriferous ointment so fast in his hand, as not to suffer so much as the smell thereof to go forth: for as there is no restraining of the winds blowing, who hath gathered the wind in his fist ? saith Solomon afterward Chap. 30.4. where it gets into a room, we see it will get through every cranny, & the more opposition it meets with by anything that stands in its way, the more violently it blows; & as there is no hiding of such an ointment in ones hand, because being pressed by a warm hand it will slip the sooner through the fingers, & the sweet savor of it will the more spread itself all about; so neither is there any preventing or suppressing the clamours of a contentious woman, but the more means is used to that purpose, the more she will make the house to ring with her loud chiding, yea the whole neighbourhood round about.

Vers. 17. Iron sharpeneth iron, &c.] As namely, when all cutting tools are sharpened by the file, & when by rubbing one sword or knife against another, they are mutually made the brighter & sharper, & so do cut the better: so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend ; that is, say some Expositors, so doth a man by his rugged & wrathful looks, language & behavior, provoke the anger of his dear relations, & make his friend look sowrely & sharply upon him; or rather, so doth a man by his presence & conference & consolation, make the countenance of his friend smooth & quick & lively, that was before, by reason of some affliction & sorrow that he lay under, exceeding sour, dull & dejected. Yea it may be extended to all the benefits that flow from the conversing of friends together: whereas men being alone by themselves, are usually heavy & dull, & like a tool whose edge is blunted, good in a manner for nothing; when they come to converse with their friends face to face, by their mutual conferences, instructions, counsels & exhortations, & by the good example they have one from another, they are every way much bettered hereby; it brings them to be of a sharper wit, & a more vigorous & quicker piercing judgment, their behavior in all things becomes the more polished & refined, & they are continually provoking & whetting on one another to good works, Heb. 10.24. For because all the affections of men do much appear in their countenances, therefore in all the particulars fore-mentioned it may be well said, that a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Vers. 18. Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof, &c.] That is, He that diligently dresseth it, & preserveth it from wind & cold & all other annoyances, shall sooner or later reap the benefit of his labors in the fruit he shall eat of it: so he that waiteth on his master ; that is, that constantly & diligently attends upon his person & business, & is faithful & trusty therein: shall be honored ; that is, he shall at last, if not presently, be well rewarded & preferred, either by his master, or others that shall observe his commendable qualities, or at least God will do it. The drift of this Proverb is to show, either 1. that as there are ways & means for householders to benefit themselves, so also for servants in their places; or 2. that servants must be content to wait for the recompense of their faithful service, as the husbandman doth for the fruit of his trees, after he hath bestowed much pains upon them; or 3. that it is as equal & just that a good servant should be well rewarded & honored by his master, as that one should eat of the fruit of that tree which he hath carefully dressed & tended.

Vers. 19. As in water face answereth to face; so the heart of man to man. ] That which some would have to be the meaning of this Proverb, that men's minds & fancies differ as much as their faces, so many men so many minds, is clearly made good in the several Expositions that are given of it, there being very few that undertake to show the sense of it that agree in one and the same Exposition. But the most probable Expositions that are given of it are these: 1. that the hearts of all men living are in regard of natural corruption as like one to another, as the shadow of a man's face in the water is like to the face whose shadow it is; in the heart of the wickedst men the best of men may see, as in a mirror, what their own hearts naturally are: 2. that men's minds, affections & dispositions, are many times as like, as in the water face is to face; there is no man, but some other may be found that in regard of his inward temper & disposition doth exactly resemble him; if one man be of a cheerful or sad temper, so are others; if one man doth affect learning, or merchandise, or husbandry, others may be found that are also just the same way inclined; and the like may be said in many other particulars: 3. that as a man may see the face of another man, in seeing the shadow of his face in the water, though he do not directly see the man himself, but yet it is but very imperfectly; so men may, by observing the outward behavior of men, & by the knowledge & experience which they have of their own hearts, discover what is in the hearts of other men, though it be but imperfectly, by guess & conjecture, rather then by any clear discovery; see the Note Chap. 20.5: 4. that as in water, natures looking-glass, if it be clear & still, men may truly see their faces, though but imperfectly; so by reflecting & looking back into their own hearts & minds, observing diligently wherein they do most frequently busy themselves, and whereto they are most inclined, men may, as in a looking-glass, truly, though but imperfectly, see themselves, the conscience of every man, if it be clear & undisturbed, will truly tell him what he is; for, saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.11. what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a man which is in him? & 5. that as the shadow of a man's face in the water will be proportionable to his face, so men's affections will be mutually answerable & proportionable to one another; & that because the inward affections of men will discover themselves in their faces, & hereupon men will be affected to other men, as they see other men affected to them; a friendly heart will be answered with a friendly heart, & as men deal with others, others will deal with them. Each of these Expositions hath some good probability in it: but the two first I like the best.

Vers. 20. Hell & destruction are never full, &c.) That is, hell & death, or, hell & the grave; see the Note Job 26.6: so the eyes of man are never satisfied ; that is, the eyes of his mind are not satisfied with knowledge; or rather, the eyes of his body are never satisfied with seeing: either they have never enough of seeing that which they are delighted to see; or being glutted with what they have seen, they still desire to see some new thing. But that which I conceive is chiefly here intended is, that men's covetous desires after earthly things, (which is called the lust of the eyes, 1 Joh. 2.16. because all earthly things are chiefly represented unto us by the eye) can never be satisfied; they are still craving more, & are still disquieted, either because they cannot have what they desire, or because being glutted with what they enjoy, they still desire new things. The comparison here used by Solomon seems to imply as much as if he had said, And why should we not then hate this insatiable desire of earthly things, even as we would hate destruction & Hell?

Vers. 21. As the fining-pot for silver, & the furnace for gold, &c.] That is, As these are used for the trying & purifying of silver & gold, see the Note Chap. 17.3: so is a man to his praise. And this Expositors understand several ways. For some take the praise given a man to be as the fining-pot & the furnace, which discovers what a man is, & that either 1. because when a man is everywhere commended & extolled, it is a sign that he is a man of a good life, & one that hath done many praise-worthy deeds; see the Note Chap. 12.8; or 2. because by the men that praise him, it may be judged what he is: if a man be praised by wise and good men, it is a sign that he is a good man; but if wicked men praise him, it is a sign that he is also such as they are. But then again others conceive, (& that methinks the words seem most clearly to imply) that the man that is praised, is here compared to the fining-pot & the furnace: & that either 1. because every man in his own conscience, if he will deal faithfully with himself, is best able to judge whether those praises be justly due to him, or whether there be a great deal of the dross of flattery in the praises that are given him, according to that Gal. 6.4, Let every man prove his own work, & so shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another ; or 2. because a man's carriage of himself when he is so praised will discover whether he be truly praise-worthy or no: for if he be one that deserveth them not, he will be exalted in his mind, & carry himself vainly & proudly; whereas if he be a good man, he will be no way puffed up with it, but rather be the more humbled, & even troubled to hear himself so praised, ascribing all to the free grace of God; yea such a one will endeavor thereupon to be really such as he is commended to be, & to purge himself from everything that is not agreeable to the praises that are given, & to proceed on & to be more and more abundant in every good work.

Vers. 23. Be diligent to know the state of thy flocks, & look well to thy herds. ] That is, leave them not wholly to the care of servants, but be thou thyself careful over them, to see that they be every way provided for & ordered, as it is fit they should be. And under this particular, a provident care over men's estates in any other calling is likewise enjoined.

Vers. 24. For riches are not forever, &c.] That is, If men be idle, & negligent, & do not provide for the preserving of what they have, if men continually spend upon the stock, & do not daily add to their estates by some honest labor, the greatest estates that are will soon be wasted, & come to nothing: and doth the crown endure to every generation ? as if he should have said, Even the treasures of Princes will be exhausted at last, if they be excessive in their expenses, & do not preserve their estates with care & diligence; yea men in highest places of honor may be cast down from their places of dignity, & so may stand in need of something that hath been stored up against future times.

Vers. 25. The hay appeareth, &c.] To wit, when it is meet & ready for carriage; or rather, the grass in the meadows sprouteth out, which is to be reserved for hay against winter: and the tender grass showeth itself ; to wit, in the pastures which are for the summer feeding of the cattle: & the herbs of the mountains are gathered ; that is, the grass, & other herbs which the mountains yield, are gathered for fodder, & other uses for the cattle & family. And indeed the mountains may be mentioned only with respect to the land of Israel, that was full of mountains. But now the aim of Solomon in reciting these particulars is, to show the commodity which the husbandman shall reap by the provident ordering of his estate; to wit, that being careful seasonably to gather & store up the plenty which God of his goodness causeth the earth to yield in the summer, he shall not only have his cattle well supplied with food for that season, but also lay up for them in store against the winter.

Vers. 26. The lambs are for thy clothing, &c.] That is, with the skins and the wool of thy lambs & sheep, whether sold or made into clothe, thou mayest provide all sorts of clothing for thyself & family; wherein also is implied, that men should be content with such plain attire, & not wast their estates in bravery above their condition; and the goats are the price of thy field ; that is, with the money which thou makest of them, (and the goats some say are particularly mentioned, because they might be better spared then the sheep) thou mayest pay the rent of the ground which thou hirest; or, make full as much of it, as another man would give for it, if it were thine own; or, hire land also for tillage, & defray all the charges laid out therein; or, corn for thy family, as well as if thou didst keep tillage in thine own hands; or, purchase lands for thee & thine heirs after thee.

Vers. 27. And thou shalt have goats-milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy house, & for maintenance for thy maidens.) Under this particular of goats-milk (which some think is expressed, as that which is most nourishing & wholesome) all other milk, & that which is made of milk, is comprehended, & that as the food, wherewith the frugal husbandman shall do well to nourish both himself & his servants.

CHAP. XXVIII.

Vers. 1. THe wicked flee when no man pursueth, &c.) To wit, either merely by means of the terrors of their own guilty accusing consciences; or it may be by reason of some panic fears wherewith they are in an extraordinany manner stricken by God: but the righteous are bold as a lion ; to wit, because they have a good cause & a good conscience, do contemn all earthly things, are comforted in God's favor & protection, & by the spirit of God are usually strengthened with incredible courage & boldness.

Vers. 2. For the transgression of a land, &c.] That is, For the general folly and wickedness of a nation or state: many are the princes thereof ; that is, many at the same time striving one against the other for the supreme power, or many in a short time succeeding one another; & that either because God by his own immediate hand doth quickly cut them off, or else because they are often cut off by the insurrections & treacheries of others, that thereby get into their places: which doth usually bring great calamity upon the people, and makes great havoc amongst them; partly by great exactions imposed upon them, & partly by the shedding of much blood amongst them. But by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged ; that is, by a man eminently wise: which may be meant, either of a wise prince, that useth all good means to suppress or reform the wickedness of the people; or any other wise man amongst the people, whether near to the Prince or otherwise, that by persuading the seditious to be still & quiet, or by his counsel any other way, may do that which may be much for the safety & good of a land. And so the drift of the Proverb may be, to show, that when a land is endangered by the general profaneness & folly of a nation, by the wisdom & piety of someone man amongst them it may be preserved; or, that the welfare of a nation shall be prolonged by men singularly wise & understanding & pious amongst the subjects: Or, we may read it, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, by men of understanding & wisdom shall they likewise be prolonged, that is, the lives of the princes shall be prolonged.

Vers. 3. A poor man that oppresseth the poor, &c.] As namely when a beggarly judge or officer in some inferior place doth abuse his power for the crushing of some poor man, or when any other poor man doth by false accusations, or any other way of fraud or force, oppress; such an one is like a sweeping rain, which leaveth no food ; to wit, because it washeth away not only the fatness of the land, but even the seed itself, & many times tears up by the roots, & carries away the new-grown corn, & beateth the fruit off the trees. Now though the drift of this similitude may be to imply the unnaturalness of this sin, in that as the rain, that should make the earth yield her fruit, doth in such a case destroy it; so the poor that should above others commiserate the poor, do oppress & undo them: yet I conceive it is chiefly to imply how boundless such men's oppression is; partly because such men are of a base & sordid spirit, & partly because their own penury maketh them insatiably greedy; (even as we use to say, that a hungry louse will bite sore) where they oppress a poor man they sweep all away: whereas the rich will not mind small things; with such beggarly people all is fish that comes to the net, & what they seize upon is presently swallowed down without all hope of recovery.

Vers. 4. They that forsake the law praise the wicked, &c.] And consequently also they will reverence & favor them, justify them & take their part upon all occasions: but such as keep the law contend with them ; that is, they will not only find fault with them, but they will also rebuke them sharply, they will withstand them in the evil they would do, & cause them to be punished for the evil they have done. But yet the drift of this Proverb may be to imply, that though it be enough to prove a man wicked, if he be one that is wont to praise & applaud wicked men; yet he that will approve himself a good man, must do more then dispraise the wicked, he must contend with them.

Vers. 5. Evil men understand not judgment, &c.] See the Note Psal. 37.28, 30. Through their own blindness & willfulness, & the just judgment of God upon them, they are not able to discern what is just & equal; and consequently, whatever knowledge they may have in other respects, they may be well looked upon as such as understand nothing: but they that seek the Lord ; to wit, by hearing the word & prayer, & by an earnest endeavor to approve themselves, & to obtain his favor: understand all things ; that is, all things that are necessary to be known for the well-ordering of their lives, & the attaining of life eternal.

Vers. 6. Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, &c.] That is, he is a happier and indeed a richer man: then he that is perverse in his ways ; that is, then a wicked false-hearted man; see the Note Deut. 32.5: though he be rich ; see the Note Chap. 19.1.

Vers. 7. Who so keepeth the law, &c.] And so in obedience thereto, & not merely for worldly respects, avoideth the company of riotous persons; is a wise son, & so an honor to his father: but he that is a companion of riotous men, as being one that regards not God's law; shameth his father, that is, he is a foolish son, & so dishonoreth his father. See the Notes Chap. 10.5. & 27.11.

Vers. 8. He that by usury & unjust gain increaseth his substance, &c.] Or by usury & increase, as it is in the Original: & then by usury may be meant the taking of interest for the lending of money; & by increase, the taking of an overplus for the lending of any other things, according to that Lev. 25.37. Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase. He shall gather it for him that will pity the poor ; that is, God will not let him long enjoy it, but by his providence will some way bring it into the hands of those that will do good with it.

Vers. 9. He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, &c.] That is, He that wittingly & willfully refuseth to hear or obey the word of God: even his prayer shall be abomination ; see the Note Chap. 15.8.

Vers. 10. Who so causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit, &c.] That is, They that allure men to the doing of anything, whereby they hope to bring some evil or mischief upon them, shall, through God's just judgment, fall into that very mischief which they hoped to bring upon the righteous: see the Note Chap. 26.27. I know that many Expositors, by causing the righteous to go astray in an evil way, do understand the seducing them into some way of error & heresy, or other wickedness; & that of such it is said, that they shall fall into their own pit, because those that mislead men out of the right way, into those crooked ways that lead to the infernal pit, shall themselves also be cast into that pit whereinto they have caused others to fall, according to that Matth. 15.14. if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. But I conceive it is evident, that the first clause must be understood of misleading men into some way of mischief, because of that following clause, he shall fall himself into his own pit: Only in regard that usually men draw the righteous into the evil of mischief, by seducing them into some evil way of sin, therefore both may be included. But the upright shall have good things in possession ; that is, the righteous, whom they sought to ensnare, shall not only escape their snares, & so continue to enjoy those good blessings for which they were maligned, but they shall also possess the good of those that would have ensnared them; or rather, they shall be blessed of God with all good blessings, both of this world, & that which is to come.

Vers. 11. The rich man is wise in his own conceit, &c.] To wit, 1. because finding how bravely he lives in every respect, and how he is honored and applauded in the world by reason of his riches, he concludeth that it was wisely done of him to seek after riches, & not foolishly, out of a scrupulous conscience, to neglect the doing of good to himself; 2. because he apprehends that it hath been merely by his own wisdom that he hath gotten so great riches; & 3. because riches do usually puff up men, & make them highly conceited of themselves in every regard: but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out ; that is, he minds not his outward condition, nor is carried away with the opinion and applause of others, but he weighs & examines whether his speeches & actions be such, as do according to the rule of God's word argue him to be a wise man, or no, and accordingly he judgeth of him as he is. The drift of the Proverb may be, to show that God giveth riches to some, and wisdom to others.

Vers. 12. When righteous men do rejoice, &c.] To wit, in the down-fall of wicked men, (as appears by the opposite clause) & because good men do prosper and are exalted, whether themselves or others, see the Note chap. 11.10: there is great glory ; that is, both the Church & commonwealth in general, & the estates of private men in particular, are in a prosperous & flourishing condition; Religion is advanced, justice is executed, peace & plenty abounds, & the glory of God is everywhere exalted: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden ; that is, the good man, that indeed only deserves the name of a man, lieth close & hideth himself, to wit, either for fear of oppression, or for grief, not caring to stir abroad when he seeth things in so ill a condition; or, it may be understood more generally of all men, both good & bad, that in such a case men are wont to hide themselves, either out of discontent, or for fear of rapine & oppression. And to the same effect is that other translation, which is added in the margin of our Bibles, when the wicked rise, a man is sought for ; that is, a good man is sought for, and cannot be found; or, men are never in safety, but oppressors, whether the prince or others, are continually hunting after them; the godly are sought for to be slain, and the rich to be spoiled.

Vers. 13. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, &c.] That is, it shall do him no good, as he hopeth it should, for the securing of him either from shame or punishment; or, God will punish him for it without showing him any mercy: for this is clearly implied from the following opposite clause, but whosoever confesseth and forsaketh them, shall have mercy, to wit, in every regard.

Vers. 15. As a roaring lion and a ranging bear, so is a wicked ruler over the poor people. ] That is, instead of being to them what a shepherd is to his flock, as by his place he ought to be, he is a terror to the poor miserable people, and doth with insatiable covetousness and cruelty tear and devour them, being herein like a hungry roaring lion, and a ravening bear. Yet by the poor people here may be meant the poorer sort of people, whom to oppress is the greatest cruelty, & who are notwithstanding oftenest devoured by such tyrants, because they are least able to withstand or revenge their oppressions.

Vers. 16. The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor, &c.] As if he should have said, he is also one of those that are to the poor people as roaring lions and ranging bears, as was said in the foregoing verse; or, as he is a fool, so he is also through covetousness a great oppressor, and therefore shall not prolong his days: which is implied from the following opposite clause, but he that hateth covetousness, and so like a wise man doth not oppress his subjects, shall prolong his days ; to wit, through the blessing of God, and the love of his people.

Vers. 17. A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person, shall flee to the pit, &c.] That is, he shall suddenly be brought to the grave, and till then he shall be in continual terrors and fears: let no man stay him ; that is, let no man undertake to save him; or, no man shall be able to secure him.

Vers. 18. Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved, &c.] To wit, from all the evil designs of his enemies; from all dangers & mischiefs here, and from eternal destruction hereafter: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once ; to wit, so that he shall never rise again; he shall be suddenly, utterly & irrecoverably destroyed. But see the Note chap. 10.9.

Vers. 19. He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread, &c.] See the Note chap. 12.11.

Vers. 20. A faithful man, &c.] That is, The man that trusteth in God, & is constantly faithful in word & deed, shall abound with blessings ; to wit, because he is contented with his estate, & will not enrich himself by unlawful means; see the Note chap. 10.6: but he that hasteth to be rich, shall not be innocent, or, unpunished ; to wit, because he is an unfaithful man, and will not forbear anything whereby he may enrich himself; see the Notes chap. 20.21. & 6.29.

Vers. 21. To have respect of persons is not good, &c.] See the Note chap. 18.5: for, for a piece of bread that man will transgress ; that is, if a man make no more conscience of being exactly just, or, when a man hath once against conscience judged unjustly, with the least bribe that can be conceived will such a man be corrupted.

Vers. 22. He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, &c.] That is, he grudgeth to part with anything, & looketh with a grudging malignant eye upon those that receive anything from him; or, he envieth & coveteth what others enjoy, (see the Note chap. 23.6.) & consequently he will watch to bereave & defraud others of what they have, not caring by what evil means he enricheth himself: and knoweth not that poverty shall come upon him ; that is, that notwithstanding all his care to slee poverty, & to enrich himself, yet poverty shall suddenly & unexpectedly surprise him, as well he deserves for his griping from others, (see the Note chap. 20.21.) And consequently hereby also is implied, that he little therefore considers, that he shall stand in need of the compassion of others, & shall have as little shewn him as he hath shewn to others.

Vers. 24. Who so robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, &c.] To wit, either openly with his lips, or secretly in his heart, It is no transgression, to wit, as concluding that children are to live upon the estates of their parents: the same is the companion of a destroyer ; that is, a man-slayer & murderer, (for so the word seems to be taken Exod. 12.23. Ezek. 9.1.) or a thief and high-way robber, or a plunderer in war, or a riotous spend-thrift and waster, as the word is translated chap. 18.9. And the meaning is, that such an one, under what vain pretences soever he thinks to justify himself, yea though it should be of giving that to God which he so steals from his parents, much like that of the Pharisees Corban, Mat. 15.5, 6. he is no better then a thief & robber, yea a murderer, & as such deserves to be put to death, according to those laws Exod. 21.17. & Deut. 21.18, 21: and that because he robs them of their livelihood, and breaks their hearts with grief. Yet some hold, that Solomon by saying that such an one is the companion of a destroyer, intends to show, either that it is by the persuasion of riotous spend-thrifts, with whom he keeps company, and the base courses whereinto they draw him, that such an one is brought to this wickedness of robbing his parents, or that such an one is like to join himself at last even with cut-throat robbers.

Vers. 25. He that is of a proud heart, stirreth up strife, &c.] See the Note chap. 13.10. 1. because such an one out of pride of heart cannot bear the least damage or injury done him by others; 2. because he will be prone causelessly to think himself slighted and injured, if all be not done according to his own mind; 3. because he will not rest upon God for the righting of him, but will be his own avenger; 4. because having great thoughts of himself, he is eager still to seek great things for himself, and in the pursuit hereof is ready to oppress others, and be offended with those that any way hinder him in his designs, therefore he will be still quarrelling and contending with others; which as it must needs tend to the wasting of his estate, and cause him to pine away with inward vexation of mind, so it often provokes God to pull him down: which is implied from the following clause, but he that putteth his trust in the Lord ; that is, he that being of an humble spirit, can patiently bear injuries, and will by no means be injurious to others, as reposing himself upon God's careful providence over him: shall be made fat ; that is, he will live peaceably with all men, and by that means he shall abound with blessings; see the Note chap. 11.25.

Vers. 26. He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool, &c.] That is, He that relieth upon his own corrupt wisdom and reason, (see the Note chap. 3.5.) or upon his own strength and abilities any way, and so despiseth the counsel of others, yea never minds the counsel and direction of God in his word, but doeth whatever seemeth good in his own eyes, and confidently, rusheth into any temptation and danger, he is a proud presumptuous fool, and shall surely fall into many errors, and desperate inevitable miseries: as is implied from the following opposite clause, but whoso walketh wisely ; that is, warily and advisedly, and according to the rule of God's word, and the counsel of wise men, and that having no confidence in himself, trusteth in God, and in all things seeketh to God for a blessing: he shall be delivered ; to wit, out of all those dangers wherein otherwise he might have perished.

Vers. 27. He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack, but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse. ] That is, The poor people shall lade him with imprecations, and God shall pour forth manifold plagues and miseries upon him.

Vers. 28. When the wicked rise, men hide themselves, &c.] To wit, by flying their country, or concealing themselves in secret places; & that either to avoid the tyranny of such Rulers, or else to decline those public judgments which God is wont to bring upon people in such corrupt times: see the Note above verse. 12. Yet if we understand the first clause of the righteous only, then the meaning may be, that in such times there are but few righteous men to be found, and that because all in a manner follow the example of their wicked rulers. But when they perish, the righteous increase ; to wit, not only because those that before lay hid, do then appear again; but also because many others are won into the ways of righteousness by their counsel and example; yea also by observing the judgments that are fallen upon their wicked rulers, and by the encouragement and good example they have from those good rulers, that succeed in their room.

CHAP. XXIX.

Vers. 2. WHen the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, &c.] It may be read also, When the righteous are increased : but this is included in the other; for where the righteous are in authority, the number of the righteous amongst the people will then increase: see the Notes chap. 11.10. & 28.12, & 28. But where the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn ; that is, though it may be they dare not openly complain, yet at least they secretly sigh and mourn; to wit, not only because such rulers are usually great oppressors, but also because the people for want of good order are then fearlessly injurious one to another, & running into all kind of wickedness do cast themselves headlong into the pit of destruction, and because the Lord also doth usually then plague such a people with manifold judgments.

Vers. 3. Whoso loveth wisdom, rejoiceth his father, &c.] See the Notes chap. 10.1. & 15.20. The love of wisdom is here opposed to the love of harlots, as appears by the following clause, but he that keepth company with harlots, spendeth his substance. See the Note chap. 5.9.

Vers. 4. The king by judgment stablisheth the land, &c.] That is, by administering justice equally to all, he settleth both his kingdom and people in a safe and flourishing condition: but he that receiveth gifts ; that is, the king that taketh bribes, whether it be for the putting of men into places of magistracy, or for the perverting of justice, by acquitting the guilty or condemning the innocent: overthroweth it ; to wit, 1. because by such hope of impunity men will be encouraged in their injurious dealings, and in all kind of wickedness, which often proves the ruin of kingdoms; 2. because the people do hereupon become mutinous; and 3. because such injustice will however provoke God to destroy a people. That which is translated, he that receiveth gifts, is in the Original, a man of oblations : and accordingly some understand this of sacrilegious Princes, that seize upon those things which have been given to God. And some Expositors conceive also, that because Solomon saith not, a king that receiveth gifts, but he that receiveth gifts, this is to imply, either that such an one deserveth not the name of a king; or, that bribe-taking overthroweth kingdoms, whether it be done by the king himself, or by his subordinate officers.

Vers. 5. A man that flattereth his neighbor spreadeth a net for his feet. ] The meaning is, either 1. that flatterers are so far from being friends, that they are no better then deadly enemies, in that they do that to those they flatter, which is all one in effect as if they lay in wait to take away their lives, to wit, because by flattering them in their vices, for which they should reprove them, they encourage them to run on in those ways of perdition, & by extolling them above measure, they puff them up with damnable pride & self-conceit; or 2. that whatever flatterers may pretend, their aim is always thereby to beguile & deceive those they flatter, & so to ensnare them, & bring them into some danger, or to get them into their power, & to make a prey of them, according to that of the prophet, Mic. 7.2. they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.

Vers. 6. In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare, &c.] That is, though he may promise himself safety and content in his wicked way, yet it will bring judgments & terrors of conscience upon him; see the Notes Deut. 7.16. & Prov. 5.22. & 11.5, 6. & 12.13. & Job 18.7, 8, 9. & so he shall mourn & howl: which is implied by the following opposite clause, but the righteous doth sing & rejoice ▪ to wit, because he is at peace with God, & is free both from such snares & from the fear of them, & knoweth he hath just cause to rejoice even in his afflictions. But some do otherwise understand this Proverb, as thus: In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare ; that is, he is ensnared by the evil he intendeth or doeth to the righteous: but the righteous doth sing & rejoice ; to wit, both for his own deliverance, & God's just judgment upon the wicked; see the Notes chap. 11.10. & Psal. 58.10. Or thus: In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare ; because he labors to draw others to partake with him in his wickedness: but the righteous is delivered from this snare, and so rejoiceth.

Vers. 7. The righteous considereth the cause of the poor, &c.] That is, If a man be righteous, whether judge or private person, though he will not respect the persons of the poor, yet he will carefully search into the justice of their cause, & will accordingly help & relieve them; see the Notes Job 29.16. & Psal. 41.1: but the wicked regardeth not to know it ; to wit, that he may the more freely slight and oppress them.

Vers. 8. Scornfull men, &c.] See the Notes chap. 1.22. and 8.8. and Psal. 1.1: bring a city into a snare ; that is, into desperate dangers, to wit, by stirring up the wrath of God or the magistrate against the city, with their obstinate and incorrigible wickedness and rebellion; or by provoking with scornful and opprobrious words or usage, (as Hanun dealt with David's ambassadors, 2 Sam. 10.3, 4.) any that may be stirred up thereby to come in a hostile manner against them to ruin the city. But this may be read also, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, Scornfull men set a city on fire ; to wit, by kindling dissensions, or raising tumults therein; or by drawing down judgments from God by their wickedness upon the inhabitants. But wise men turn away wrath ; to wit, the wrath of God, or the supreme magistrate, or any other incensed against the city; as namely by appeasing mutinies, by their wise counsel, by their prayers and righteous conversation, and opposing the wickedness of others; & so they deliver the city from danger.

Vers. 9. If a wise man contended with a foolish man, &c.] To wit, as seeking thereby to pacify him, or to reclaim him from any evil way, or to convince him of any point of truth or right: whether he rage or laugh ; that is, whether he do it in a severe manner, with much vehemency of spirit, & with discovering himself to be highly offended at the fools presumption & obstinacy, or whether he do it with all mildness, in a smiling & jesting way, as pitying & laughing at his impertinencies & folly: there is no rest ; that is, he shall never be able to quiet or content or satisfy the fool; or, he himself shall never be quiet, nor shall be ever able to free himself from him. But yet because the expressions here used of raging & laughing do better fit the foolish then the wise man, I should rather understand that clause of him; to wit, that when a wise man contendeth with a fool, whether the fool do rage against the wise man, or whether he laugh & scoff at him, there is no rest, that is, there is no quieting of him; or he is as insufferable to the wise man, when he laughs & is in sport, as when he is furious and rageth.

Vers. 10. The blood-thirsty hate the upright, &c.] That is, even the upright man that is most harmless & innocent in his life; or, they so hate him, that they will not spare his life: & that because his upright life doth condemn their wickedness; & because upright men are wont to oppose such bloody men, and to endeavor to have them punished: yea this may imply also, that even in hating him, they are no better then murderers in God's sight. But the just seek his soul, that is, they love the upright, & so seek to save his life, & so rescue him from the malice of the blood-thirsty; or, they will require his life of the blood-thirsty that have slain him, by bringing them to suffer for it: yea & some understand it thus, that whereas the blood-thirsty hate & slay the upright, the just and upright, on the other side, will seek to preserve the life of the blood-thirsty man.

Vers. 11. A fool uttereth all his mind, &c.] See the Notes chap. 10.14. & 12.16, 23. & 14.33. & 15.28. & 17.27.

Vers. 12. If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked. ] That is, say some Expositors, he thinks them all such, because by those liars, to whom he hearkens, they are reported to be such; or rather, they are usually wicked, to wit, flatterers & slanderers, & such as will tell him all manner of lies, as hoping thereby to please him & get his favor: And then besides 1. Servants are usually such as are their rulers; 2. such rulers will, if it may be, have no other servants; & 3. God doth often in his wrath fit them with servants suitable to their temper. Some conceive also, that it is not said, all his servants are liars, but more generally, all his servants are wicked, because lying is usually a covert for all kind of wickedness.

Vers. 13. The poor and the deceitful man (or, the usurer,) meet together, &c.] That is, the poor and the rich, for he mentioned the usurer, or the deceitful man, only, because rich men do usually get their great estates by usury and deceit: the Lord lighteneth both their eyes ; that is, they both live by him, see the Note Psal. 13.2. and he causeth his sun to shine upon them both; or, he showeth mercy and giveth the graces of his spirit equally to both, without any respect of persons. But see the Note chap. 22.2.

Vers. 15. The rod and reproof, &c.] That is, either of them severally; or, the rod, when it is accompanied with reproof: give wisdom ; (so far is it from making children fools, as fond parents are wont to say it will do) & therefore such a child will be an honor to his parents, which is implied from the following words, but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame ; to wit, through his folly and wickedness: see the Note, chap. 10.1.

Vers. 16. When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth, &c.] To wit, not only because there are then the more to transgress God's laws, but also because wicked men are wont to solicit others to sin, to encourage & help one another in their wickedness, yea their very example is infectious; & especially because the very multitude of the wicked is in itself a ground of making them bold in all kind of wickedness, in regard that they are prone to justify themselves in that they do, by the example of a multitude; at least they become hereby fearless of being hindered in the evil they would do, or of being punished for it when it is done, & may rather hope thereupon to be countenanced & favored by many. And hence it is that the presumption of the wicked Israelites is set forth by this, Hos. 4.7. As they were increased, so they sinned against me. As for the following clause, but the righteous shall see their fall, see the Note Psal. 91.8. It is doubtless here added, either to secure the righteous from being drawn away by the throng of the wicked, to the increase of their transgressions; or to comfort them both against their fear of being in danger in such times, & against their sorrow for such abounding wickedness, & so likewise to beat off wicked men from hoping to escape punishments because of their multitudes, by giving them to understand, that the more their transgressions are increased, the more the measure of their sin is filled up, & so the nearer they are to destruction.

Vers. 17. Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest, &c.] That is, though it may be irksome and grievous to thee to do it, yet afterwards it will free thee from all those vexations which his former miscarriages had brought upon thee; yea it will free thee from the fear of future trouble, because coming to more years, he will be the more easily governed, so that thou mayest sleep quietly, and when thy time comes thou mayest die the more peaceably. Besides it may be meant of the rest which such a father may take in his old age, because his son so made good by correction will so manage all his business for him, that he may then sit still, & never trouble himself; or of the peace of conscience which he may inwardly enjoy, however it fares with his child, because he hath used the means that God hath appointed. As for the following clause, yea, he shall give delight unto his soul, see the Note chap. 10.1.

Vers. 18. Where there is no vision, &c.] That is, no prophecy & public preaching: & that, either because those whose office it is to teach, do wholly neglect their duty; or because the people will not endure teaching, at least when it is faithfully discharged; or because God, for the former wickedness of a people, doth remove their teachers, (which must needs be a sign of imminent destruction:) the people perish ; to wit, because for want of instruction they run into all kind of wickedness, and so bring utter destruction upon themselves; or, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, the people made naked, for which see the Note Ex. 32.25. As for the following clause, but he that keepeth the law, happy is be, that is added to imply, either 1. that though a people that enjoy not the public ministry, are for the generality in great danger of perishing thereby; yet it followeth not but that those amongst them that do conscionably practice what they have formerly learned, may be truly happy: or 2. that though the want of a teaching ministry be enough to destroy a people; yet the enjoying of such a ministry is not enough to make men happy, unless they practice what is thereby taught them.

Vers. 19. A servant will not be corrected by words, &c.] This may be meant either of one that is indeed a servant, or of one that is of a servile and stubborn disposition: for though he understand, he will not answer ; that is, he will not do what he is enjoined; or, out of stoutness and sullenness, he will not so much as give an answer when he is spoken to, he will not so much as say that he will do what he is commanded, and so he carrieth himself as if he understood not what was said to him, that he may have that for an excuse for his not obeying. The meaning is, that such an one doth not forbear to answer or to do what was enjoined him, because he did not understand what was said to him; but willfully, out of stubbornness or laziness, and therefore he ought to be forced by stripes to do his duty.

Ver. 20. Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? &c.] To wit, as never considering beforehand of what he saith, & forward to answer men before he well understandeth what they say; or, seest thou a man that is hasty in his matters? for which see the Notes ch. 19.2. & 21.5: there is more hope of a fool then of him ; see the Note ch. 26.12.

Vers. 21. He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child, &c.] That is, from a youth, a boy: (or, it may be meant of a bond-slave born in a man's house,) shall have him become his son at the length ; that is, he will at last carry himself more like a son then a servant; he will no longer do the work of a servant, he will carry himself insolently & arrogantly towards the rest of the servants, as if he were their equal. Yea some add, that such an one will not stick at last to make away the children, and to seize upon their inheritance.

Vers. 22. An angry man stirreth up strife, &c.] See the Notes ch. 15.18. & 26.21: and a furious man ; that is, as it were mad with rage: aboundeth with transgressions ; such an one will curse, swear, revile, slander, shed the blood of others, and will not stick at any wickedness whatsoever.

Vers. 23. A man's pride shall bring him low, but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit. ] That is, it shall raise him up, & keep him up; see the Notes ch. 11.2. & 15.33.

Vers. 24. Whoso is partner with a thief, &c.] To wit, by counsel, consent, or any other way: hateth his own soul ; see the Note ch. 6.32: he heareth cursing, & bewrayeth it not ; that is, say some Expositors, he heareth the thief belch out curses against God or man, (as indeed such profane varlets thieves usually are) and never maketh it known. But by the relation which the second clause hath to the first, it seems clear to me, that those words, & bewrayeth it not, must be understood of the thieves theft, thus: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not ; that is, he heareth the thief adjure him by a curse not to reveal his theft, & thereupon accordingly he doth conceal it; or rather thus, he heareth those that have lost their goods cursing the thief, & those that conceal his theft, it may be himself particularly, upon suspicion; or, he heareth the judge adjuring him under a curse, or some other in his presence, to discover what he knoweth therein, & yet he concealeth it; for which see also the Note Lev. 5.1.

Vers. 25. The fear of man bringeth a snare, &c.] By the fear of man may be meant any immoderate & inordinate fear in man; as when men lie under such desperate apprehensions of God's wrath, that thereupon they cast away all hope of mercy, & all endeavor of doing anything that God will be pleased, with; or when men lie under slavish fears of any evil or mischief whatsoever. But because in this Proverb there seems to be an opposition betwixt fearing of man & trusting in God, The fear of man bringeth a snare, but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe, I rather think that by the fear of man here is meant men's being afraid of man, & of any evil that man can do them. However, of either of these fears it may be said, that it bringeth a snare : either 1. because such men are usually so continually perplexed & troubled, that they can seldom or never enjoy any peace or tranquility of mind; 2. because it makes others the readier to injure & hurt them; 3. because it consumes men's bodies, & disables men several ways from doing anything for their preservation; & 4. especially, because it makes men neglect their duty, and puts them oftentimes upon many rash & wicked & ruining resolutions, and so involveth them in many mischiefs both to soul & body, sometimes those very mischiefs which by pleasing men they sought to escape. But whoso putteth his trust in the Lord, & so feareth not man, shall be safe, or, as it is in the Original, shall be set on high ; to wit, in that safety that men are on some high rock, where the waters cannot drown them, or in some inaccessible high fortress above the reach of danger.

Vers. 26. Many seek the rulers favor,