1 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
Here, 1. The obstinacy of many wicked
people in a wicked way is to be greatly lamented. They are often
reproved by parents and friends, by magistrates and ministers,
by the providence of God and by their own consciences, have had
their sins set in order before them and fair warning given them of
the consequences of them, but all in vain; they harden their
necks. Perhaps they fling away, and will not so much as give
the reproof a patient hearing; or, if they do, yet they go on in
the sins for which they are reproved; they will not bow their necks
to the yoke, but are children of Belial; they refuse reproof
(
2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.
This is what was said before,
3 Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father: but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance.
Both the parts of this verse repeat what has been often said, but, on comparing them together, the sense of them will be enlarged from each other. 1. Be it observed, to the honour of a virtuous young man, that he loves wisdom, he is a philosopher (for that signifies a lover of wisdom), for religion is the best philosophy; he avoids bad company, and especially the company of lewd women. Hereby he rejoices his parents, and has the satisfaction of being a comfort to them, and increases his estate, and is likely to live comfortably. 2. Be it observed, to the reproach of a vicious young man, that he hates wisdom; he keeps company with scandalous women, who will be his ruin, both in soul and body; he grieves his parents, and, like the prodigal son, devours their living with harlots. Nothing will beggar men sooner than the lusts of uncleanness; and the best preservative from those ruinous lusts is wisdom.
4 The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.
Here is, 1. The happiness of a people under a good government. The care and business of a prince should be to establish the land, to maintain its fundamental laws, to settle the minds of his subjects and make them easy, to secure their liberties and properties from hostilities and for posterity, and to set in order the things that are wanting; this he must do by judgment, by wise counsels, and by the steady administration of justice, without respect of persons, which will have these good effects. 2. The misery of a people under a bad government: A man of oblations (so it is in the margin) overthrows the land; a man that is either sacrilegious or superstitious, or that invades the priest's office, as Saul and Uzziah—or a man that aims at nothing but getting money, and will, for a good bribe, connive at the most guilty, and, in hope of one, persecute the innocent—such governors as these will ruin a country.
5 A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.
Those may be said to flatter their neighbours who commend and applaud that good in them (the good they do or the good they have) which really either is not or is not such as they represent it, and who profess that esteem and that affection for them which really they have not; these spread a net for their feet. 1. For their neighbours' feet, whom they flatter. They have an ill design in it; they would not praise them as they do but that they hope to make an advantage of them; and it is therefore wisdom to suspect those who flatter us, that they are secretly laying a snare for us, and to stand on our guard accordingly. Or it has an ill effect on those who are flattered; it puffs them up with pride, and makes them conceited and confident of themselves, and so proves a net that entangles them in sin. 2. For their own feet; so some understand it. He that flatters others, in expectation that they will return his compliments and flatter him, does but make himself ridiculous and odious even to those he flatters.
6 In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: but the righteous doth sing and rejoice.
Here is, 1. The peril of a sinful way.
There is not only a punishment at the end of it, but a snare
in it. One sin is a temptation to another, and there are troubles
which, as a snare, come suddenly upon evil men in the midst
of their transgressions; nay, their transgression itself often
involves them in vexations; their sin is their punishment, and they
are holden in the cords of their own iniquity,
7 The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it.
It is a pity but that every one who sues
sub formâ pauperis—as a pauper, should have an
honest cause (they are of all others inexcusable if they have not),
because the scripture has so well provided that it should have a
fair hearing, and that the judge himself should be of counsel, as
for the prisoner, so for the pauper. 1. It is here made the
character of a righteous judge that he considers the
cause of the poor. It is every man's duty to consider the poor
(
8 Scornful men bring a city into a snare: but wise men turn away wrath.
See here, 1. Who are the men that are dangerous to the public—scornful men. When such are employed in the business of the state they do things with precipitation, because they scorn to deliberate, and will not take time for consideration and consultation; they do things illegal and unjustifiable, because they scorn to be hampered by laws and constitutions; they break their faith, because they scorn to be bound by their word, and provoke the people, because they scorn to please them. Thus they bring a city into a snare by their ill conduct, or (as the margin reads it) they set a city on fire; they sow discord among the citizens and run them into confusion. Those are scornful men that mock at religion, the obligations of conscience, the fears of another world, and every thing that is sacred and serious. Such men are the plagues of their generation; they bring God's judgments upon a land, set men together by the ears, and so bring all to confusion. 2. Who are the men that are the blessings of a land—the wise men who by promoting religion, which is true wisdom, turn away the wrath of God, and who, by prudent counsels, reconcile contending parties and prevent the mischievous consequences of divisions. Proud and foolish men kindle the fires which wise and good men must extinguish.
9 If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.
A wise man is here advised not to set his
wit to a fool's, not to dispute with him, or by contending with him
to think either of fastening reason upon him or gaining right from
him: If a wise man contend with a wise man, he may hope to
be understood, and, as far as he has reason and equity on his side,
to carry his point, at least to bring the controversy to a head and
make it issue amicably; but, if he contend with a foolish man,
there is no rest; he will see no end of it, nor will he have
any satisfaction in it, but must expect to be always uneasy. 1.
Whether the foolish man he contends with rage or laugh,
whether he take angrily or scornfully what is said to him, whether
he rail at it or mock at it, one of the two he will do, and so
there will be no rest. However it is given, it will be
ill-taken, and the wisest man must expect to be either scolded or
ridiculed if he contend with a fool. He that fights with a
dunghill, whether he be conqueror or conquered, is sure to be
defiled. 2. Whether the wise man himself rage or laugh,
whether he take the serious or the jocular way of dealing with the
fool, whether he be severe or pleasant with him, whether he come
with a rod or with the spirit of meekness (
10 The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul.
Note, 1. Bad men hate their best friends: The blood-thirsty, all the seed of the old serpent, who was a murderer from the beginning, all that inherit his enmity against the seed of the woman, hate the upright; they seek the ruin of good men because they condemn the wicked world and witness against it. Christ told his disciples that they should be hated of all men. Bloody men do especially hate upright magistrates, who would restrain and reform them, and put the laws in execution against them, and so really do them a kindness. 2. Good men love their worst enemies: The just, whom the bloody men hate, seek their soul, pray for their conversion, and would gladly do any thing for their salvation. This Christ taught us. Father, forgive them. The just seek his soul, that is, the soul of the upright, whom the bloody hate (so it is commonly understood), seek to protect it from violence, and save it from, or avenge it at, the hands of the blood-thirsty.
11 A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.
Note, 1. It is a piece of weakness to be
very open: He is a fool who utters all his mind,—who
tells every thing he knows, and has in his mouth instantly whatever
he has in his thoughts, and can keep no counsel,—who, whatever is
started in discourse, quickly shoots his bolt,—who, when he is
provoked, will say any thing that comes uppermost, whoever is
reflected upon by it,—who, when he is to speak of any business,
will say all he thinks, and yet never thinks he says enough,
whether choice or refuse, corn or chaff, pertinent or impertinent,
you shall have it all. 2. It is a piece of wisdom to be upon the
reserve: A wise man will not utter all his mind at
once, but will take time for a second thought, or reserve the
present thought for a fitter time, when it will be more pertinent
and likely to answer his intention; he will not deliver himself in
a continued speech, or starched discourse, but with pauses, that he
may hear what is to be objected and answer it. Non minus
interdum oratorium est tacere quam dicere—True oratory
requires an occasional pause. Plin.
12 If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.
Note, 1. It is a great sin in any, especially in rulers, to hearken to lies; for thereby they not only give a wrong judgment themselves of persons and things, according to the lies they give credit to, but they encourage others to give wrong informations. Lies will be told to those that will hearken to them; but the receiver, in this case, is as bad as the thief. 2. Those that do so will have all their servants wicked. All their servants will appear wicked, for they will have lies told of them; and they will be wicked, for they will tell lies to them. All that have their ear will fill their ear with slanders and false characters and representations; and so if princes, as well as people, will be deceived, they shall be deceived, and, instead of devolving the guilt of their own false judgments upon their servants that misinformed them, they must share in their servants' guilt, and on them will much of the blame lie for encouraging such misinformations and giving countenance and ear to them.
13 The poor and the deceitful man meet together: the Lord lighteneth both their eyes.
This shows how wisely the great God serves
the designs of his providence by persons of very different tempers,
capacities, and conditions in the world, even, 1. By those that are
contrary the one to the other. Some are poor and forced to
borrow; others are rich, have a great deal of the mammon of
unrighteousness (deceitful riches they are called), and they
are creditors, or usurers, as it is in the margin. Some are
poor, and honest, and laborious; others are rich, slothful,
and deceitful. They meet together in the business of
this world, and have dealings with one another, and the Lord
enlightens both their eyes; he causes his sun to shine upon
both and gives them both the comforts of this life. To some of both
sorts he gives his grace. He enlightens the eyes of the poor by
giving them patience, and of the deceitful by giving them
repentance, as Zaccheus. 2. By those that we think could best be
spared. The poor and the deceitful we are ready to look upon
as blemishes of Providence, but God makes even them to display the
beauty of Providence; he has wise ends not only in leaving the poor
always with us, but in permitting the deceived and the
deceiver, for both are his (
14 The king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever.
Here is, 1. The duty of magistrates, and
that is, to judge faithfully between man and man, and to determine
all causes brought before them, according to truth and equity,
particularly to take care of the poor, not to countenance
them in an unjust cause for the sake of their poverty (
15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.
Parents, in educating their children, must consider, 1. The benefit of due correction. They must not only tell their children what is good and evil, but they must chide them, and correct them too, if need be, when they either neglect that which is good or do that which is evil. If a reproof will serve without the rod, it is well, but the rod must never be used without a rational and grave reproof; and then, though it may be a present uneasiness both to the father and to the child, yet it will give wisdom. Vexatio dat intellectum—Vexation sharpens the intellect. The child will take warning, and so will get wisdom. 2. The mischief of undue indulgence: A child that is not restrained or reproved, but is left to himself, as Adonijah was, to follow his own inclinations, may do well if he will, but, if he take to ill courses, nobody will hinder him; it is a thousand to one but he proves a disgrace to his family, and brings his mother, who fondled him and humoured him in his licentiousness, to shame, to poverty, to reproach, and perhaps will himself be abusive to her and give her ill language.
16 When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall.
Note, 1. The more sinners there are the
more sin there is: When the wicked, being countenanced by
authority, grow numerous, and walk on every side, no marvel if
transgression increases, as a plague in the country is said
to increase when still more and more are infected with it.
Transgression grows more impudent and bold, more imperious
and threatening, when there are many to keep it in countenance. In
the old world, when men began to multiply, they began to
degenerate and corrupt themselves and one another. 2. The more sin
there is the nearer is the ruin threatened. Let not the
righteous have their faith and hope shocked by the increase of
sin and sinners. Let them not say that they have cleansed their
hands in vain, or that God has forsaken the earth, but
wait with patience; the transgressors shall fall, the measure of
their iniquity will be full, and then they shall fall from their
dignity and power, and fall into disgrace and destruction, and
the righteous shall have the satisfaction of seeing their
fall (
17 Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.
Note, 1. It is a very happy thing when children prove the comfort of their parents. Good children are so; they give them rest, make them easy, and free from the many cares they have had concerning them; yea, they give delight unto their souls. It is a pleasure to parents, which none know but those that are blessed with it, to see the happy fruit of the good education they have given their children, and to have a prospect of their well-doing for both worlds; it gives delight proportionable to the many thoughts of heart that have been concerning them. 2. In order to this, children must be trained up under a strict discipline, and not suffered to do what they will and to go without rebuke when they do amiss. The foolishness bound up in their hearts must by correction be driven out when they are young, or it will break out, to their own and their parents' shame, when they are grown up.
18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
See here, I. The misery of the people that
want a settled ministry: Where there is no vision, no
prophet to expound the law, no priest or Levite to teach the good
knowledge of the Lord, no means of grace, the word of the Lord is
scarce, there is no open vision (
II. The felicity of a people that have not only a settled, but a successful ministry among them, the people that hear and keep the law, among whom religion is uppermost; happy are such a people and every particular person among them. It is not having the law, but obeying it, and living up to it, that will entitle us to blessedness.
19 A servant will not be corrected by words: for though he understand he will not answer.
Here is the description of an unprofitable, slothful, wicked servant, a slave that serves not from conscience, or love, but purely from fear. Let those that have such servants put on patience to bear the vexation and not disturb themselves at it. See their character. 1. No rational words will work upon them; they will not be corrected and reformed, not brought to their business, nor cured of their idleness and laziness, by fair means, no, nor by foul words; even the most gentle master will be forced to use severity with them; no reason will serve their turn, for they are unreasonable. 2. No rational words will be got from them. They are dogged and sullen; and, though they understand the questions you ask them, they will not give you an answer; though you make it ever so plain to them what you expect from them, they will not promise you to mend what is amiss nor to mind their business. See the folly of those servants whose mouth by their silence calls for strokes; they might be corrected by words and save blows, but they will not.
20 Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
Solomon here shows that there is little hope of bringing a man to wisdom that is hasty either, 1. Through rashness and inconsideration: Seest thou a man that is hasty in his matters, that is of a light desultory wit, that seems to take a thing quickly, but takes it by the halves, gallops over a book or science, but takes no time to digest it, no time to pause or muse upon a business? There is more hope of making a scholar and a wise man of one that is dull and heavy, and slow in his studies, than of one that has such a mercurial genius and cannot fix. 2. Through pride and conceitedness: Seest thou a man that is forward to speak to every matter that is started, and affects to speak first to it, to open it, and speak last to it, to give judgment upon it, as if he were an oracle? There is more hope of a modest fool, who is sensible of his folly, than of such a self-conceited one.
21 He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall have him become his son at the length.
Note, 1. It is an imprudent thing in a master to be too fond of a servant, to advance him too fast, and admit him to be too familiar with him, to suffer him to be over-nice and curious in his diet, and clothing, and lodging, and so to bring him up delicately, because he is a favourite, and an agreeable servant; it should be remembered that he is a servant, and, by being thus indulged, will be spoiled for any other place. Servants must endure hardness. 2. It is an ungrateful thing in a servant, but what is very common, to behave insolently because he has been used tenderly. The humble prodigal thinks himself unworthy to be called a son, and is content to be a servant; the pampered slave thinks himself too good to be called a servant, and will be a son at the length, will take his ease and liberty, will be on a par with his master, and perhaps pretend to the inheritance. Let masters give their servants that which is equal and fit for them, and neither more nor less. This is very applicable to the body, which is a servant to the soul; those that delicately bring up the body, that humour it, and are over-tender of it, will find that at length it will forget its place, and become a son, a master, a perfect tyrant.
22 An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.
See here the mischief that flows from an angry, passionate, furious disposition. 1. It makes men provoking to one another: An angry man stirs up strife, is troublesome and quarrelsome in the family and in the neighbourhood, blows the coals, and even forces those to fall out with him that would live peaceable and quietly by him. 2. It makes men provoking to God: A furious man, who is wedded to his humours and passions, cannot but abound in transgressions. Undue anger is a sin which is the cause of many sins; it not only hinders men from calling upon God's name, but it occasions their swearing, and cursing, and profaning God's name.
23 A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.
This agrees with what Christ said more than once, 1. That those who exalt themselves shall be abased. Those that think to gain respect by lifting up themselves above their rank, by looking high, talking big, appearing fine, and applauding themselves, will on the contrary expose themselves to contempt, lose their reputation, and provoke God by humbling providences to bring them down and lay them low. 2. That those who humble themselves shall be exalted, and shall be established in their dignity: Honour shall uphold the humble in spirit; their humility is their honour, and that shall make them truly and safely great, and recommend them to the esteem of all that are wise and good.
24 Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not.
See here what sin and ruin those involve
themselves in who are drawn away by the enticement of sinners. 1.
They incur a great deal of guilt: He does so that goes
partner with such as rob and defraud, and casts in his
lot among them,
25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.
Here, 1. We are cautioned not to dread the
power of man, neither the power of a prince nor the power of the
multitude; both are formidable enough, but the slavish fear of
either brings a snare, that is, exposes men to many insults
(some take a pride in terrifying the timorous), or rather exposes
men to many temptations. Abraham, for fear of man, denied
his wife, and Peter his Master, and many a one his God and
religion. We must not shrink from duty, nor commit sin, to avoid
the wrath of man, nor, though we see it coming upon us, be
disquieted with fear,
26 Many seek the ruler's favour; but every man's judgment cometh from the Lord.
See here, 1. What is the common course men
take to advance and enrich themselves, and make themselves great:
they seek the ruler's favour, and, as if all their judgment
proceeded from him, to him they make all their court. Solomon was
himself a ruler, and knew with what sedulity men made their
application to him, some on one errand, others on another, but all
for his favour. It is the way of the world to make interest
with great men, and expect much from the smiles of second causes,
which yet are uncertain, and frequently disappoint them.
Many take a great deal of pains in seeking the ruler's
favour and yet cannot have it; many have it for a little while,
but they cannot keep themselves in it, by some little turn or other
they are brought under his displeasure; many have it, and keep it,
and yet it does not answer their expectation, they cannot make that
hand of it that they promised themselves they should. Haman had
the ruler's favour, and yet it availed him nothing. 2. What
is the wisest course men can take to be happy. Let them look up to
God, and seek the favour of the Ruler of rulers; for every man's
judgment proceeds from the Lord. It is not with us as the ruler
pleases; his favour cannot make us happy, his frowns cannot make us
miserable. But it is as God pleases; every creature is that to us
that God makes it to be, no more and no other. He is the first
Cause, on which all second causes depend; if he help not, they
cannot,
27 An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.
This expresses not only the innate
contrariety that there is between virtue and vice, as between light
and darkness, fire and water, but the old enmity that has always
been between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent,