Commentary Upon Proverbs, Chapter 4
THE IIII. CHAPTER.
1 Heare, ô ſonnes, the inſtruction of a father, and hearken to know prudence.
2 For I giuegive you a good leſſon, forſake not my doctrine.
THis fourth chapter, containeth the fourth ſermō of Salomon, wherein he reporteth to his ſonnes, the ſpeeches of his father Dauid to him. In theſe verſes, we hauehave a preface or foreſpeech, wherin the wiſe king ſtirreth vp his children to hearken to his inſtruction, partly by his fatherly authoritie, partly by the excellencie of the doctrine which he deliuereth, calling it a good leſſon, euen as the author of the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes tearmeth the holy Scripture,Heb. 6.5. the good word of God.
3 Whileſt yet I was my fathers ſonne, a tender and onelyonly one in the ſight of my mother,
4 He nourturing me ſaid vntounto me, let thine heart hold faſt my words, keepe my commandement, that thou mayſt liue.
Salomon in theſe words, ſetteth downe the firſt part of Dauids ſpeech vntounto him, wherein he prepared him to receiue his inſtructions. whileſt yet I was my fathers ſonne, when as yet I was vnderunder my fathers wing, by him accounted as his beſt beloued child, a tender and a only one in the ſight of my mother, and when as, albeit Beerſheba who bare me had more ſonnes by Dauid, 2. Chro. 28.yet I was her darling and her ioy alone. He nourturing me ſaid vntounto me, let thine heart hold faſt my words, keepe my commaundedement, that thou mayeſt liue. Then, he bringing me vp in the information of the Lord, charged me with all attention to liſten to his admonitions, affirming that they would make me a partaker of the good things of this world and the world to come. By this example of Dauid, all Chriſtian parents are to be ſtirred vp,See examples of like care of bringing vp of childre in gods feare, in Abraham, Iob Eunice & Bathſheba. to hauehave regard not onelyonly of the bodies but of the ſoules of their children.
5 Purchaſe wiſedome, purchaſe prudence, forget not, nor decline from the ſpeeches of my mouth.
6 Forſake her not, and ſhe will keepe thee, louelove her, and ſhe will preſerue thee.
One of thoſe precepts or exhortations which Dauid gaue vntounto Salomon, is herein ſet downe and enforced by a reaſon. Purchaſe wiſedome, purchaſe prudence, forget not, nor decline from thee ſpeeches of my mouth. Procure vntounto thy ſelfe by ſelling thy commodities and pleaſures, and by vſing the meanes of coſt and labor, the knowledge of Gods will and the diſcretion of his ſpirit, which graces once attained, neuer through anie negligence in any caſe forgo. Forſake her not, and ſhe will keepe thee, louelove her, and ſhe will preſerue thee. So doing, wiſedome and prudence as certaine watchmen will ſhield thee that thou come not into any danger, and if peraduēture thou ſhalt fall into ſome trouble, they will preſerue and deliuer thee from deſtruction.
7 Firſt of all [ſeeke] wiſedome, purchaſe wiſedome, & with thy whole poſſeſſion purchaſe prudence.
8 Magnifie her, and ſhe will aduance thee, if thou ſhalt embrace her, ſhe will honor thee.
9 She wil ſet on thine head a comely attire, ſhe will put vponupon thee a crowne of glorie.
Here we hauehave another precept or admonition of Dauid, accompanied with a moſt ſweet promiſe.Mat. 6.33. First of all ſeeke wiſedome, purchaſe wiſedome, before all things and aboue all things, labour after the kingdome of God, and with thy whole poſſeſſion purchaſe prudence, let nothing in the world be ſo deare or precious vntounto thee, as that thou wouldeſt not willingly part from it or beſtow it, rather then not obtaine the vnderſtanding of Gods will, which is as a treaſure hidden in a field,Mat. 13.44.45. or as a peerleſſe pearle, the which to buy, a wiſe marchant ſold all that he had. Maguifie her, and ſhe will aduance thee, if thou ſhalt embrace her, ſhe will honor thee. If thou ſhalt count all things but dung in regard of the excellent knowledge of Chriſt, certainely this grace of God, as a Queene, ſhall either make thee honorable in the eyes of prophane people, as it did Ioſeph in Pharaos ſight, or it ſhall make thee gracious and glorious in the ſight of good men, the Angels, and God him ſelfe. She will ſet on thine head a comely attire, ſhe will put vponupon thee a crowne of glorie. To conclude, wiſdome wil make thee a king and prieſt vntounto the Lord, yea an inheritor of that crowne of glorie,Reuel. 1.5. which the righteous God hath layd vp in heauen, for thoſe who louelove him.
10 Heare, ô my ſonne, and receiue my ſayings, and yeares of life ſhall be multiplied vntounto thee.
11 I teach thee the way of vviſedome, I leade thee by the pathes of equitie.
12 When thou ſhalt walke, thy gate ſhall not be ſtrait, and if thou ſhalt runne, thou ſhalt not be hurt.
13 Lay hold on her inſtruction, leaue not of, keepe her, becauſe ſhe is thy life.
In theſe verſes, a third precept is comprehended, attended on with reaſons as were the former. Heare ô my ſonne and receiue my ſayings, and yeares of life ſhall be multiplied vntounto thee. I teach thee the way of wiſedome, I leade thee by the pathes of equitie. O my child, to the ende that that thou mayſt continue on earth and liue for euer in heauen: walke in thoſe good paths of holineſſe & righteouſheſſe, which I as a guide appointed frō the Lord, do ſhew thee by my precepts, and chalke out before thee by my doctrines. When thou ſhalt walke thy gate ſhall not be ſtrait, and if thou ſhalt runne, thou ſhalt not be hurt. So doing, wiſedome as a guide will direct thee in the right and plain way which leadeth to proſperitie in ſuch ſort, as that alwayes thou ſhalt find libertie and ſafetie. Lay hold on her inſtruction, leaue not of, keepe her, becauſe ſhe is thy life. Therefore keepe the doctrine of the word, and ſuffer not wiſedome to depart from thee, becauſe hereby thou ſhalt be quickened to fairh, obedience and immortalitie. For indeed Ieſus Chriſt is the way, the truth and the life. And this is eternall life, to know the true God & him whom he hath ſent, Ieſus Chriſt.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, neither walke in the way of euill men,
15 Auoydit, go not through it, turne from it, and paſſe by it.
16 For they ſleepe not vnleſſe they hauehave done a miſchiefe, and their ſleepe is taken away, vnleſſe they cauſe ſome to fall.
17 For they eate the bread of wickedneſſe, and drinke the wine of violence.
18 As for the path of the righteous, it is like the gliſtering light, which proceedeth to ſhine vntill the perfection of the day:
19 The way of the wicked is like the darkeneſſe, they knovv not vvhere they ſhall ſtumble.
Herein, Dauid diſſwadeth his ſonne from hauing any fellowſhip with euill men. Theſe verſes containe ſtraight charges, & diuerſe forcible reaſons tending to this purpoſe. Enter not into the path of the wicked, come not into the place where ſinners are, raſhly or to an ill intent, neither walke in the way of euill men, continue not in the companie, nor liue after the conditions of vngodly perſons. Auoyd it, go not through it, turne from it, and paſſe by it. Flye their preſence and doings with might and maine. For they ſleepe not vnleſſe they hauehave done a miſchiefe, and their ſleepe is taken away, vnleſſe they cauſe ſome to fall. They ſinne not of frailtie but of malice, not by occaſion as it were, but of an vnſatiable deſire of committing wickedneſſe. The eye of the adulterer wayteth for the twilight, the thiefe ietteth abrode in the darke: to conclude, the harmefull man muſeth on miſchiefe in his bed. For they eate the bread of wickednes, and drinke the wine of violence. They liue not of honeſt labour, but of goods gotten by hooke and crooke, and moreouer it is meate and drinke to them to do euill. As for the path of the righteous, it is like the gliſtering light, which proceedeth to ſhine vntill the perfection of the day. The way of the wicked is like darkeneſſe, they know not where they ſhall ſtumble. The godly being the children of the day and of the light,1. Theſſ. 5.1. 2. Sam. 23.4. Dan. 12.1.2. are full of bleſſings, and increaſe in excellent ornaments, yea attaine at laſt to perfect glorie, and at noone commeth to perfect brightnes. On the contrarie ſide, as they who walke in the night go in great feare and fall moſt daungerouſly: ſo the wicked are full of ſinnes and calamities, which alſo ſometimes ouertake them in thoſe times and places, wherein they leaſt ſuſpect danger, and when they ſay peace, peace, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh.
20 My ſonne, hearken vntounto my words, encline thine eares vntounto my ſayings,
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes, keep them within thine heart.
22 For they are life vntounto thoſe who find thē, & wholſom to the whole fleſh, of eueryevery one of thē
Before that Dauid commeth to deliuer new inſtructions, he prepareth his ſonne in theſe ſentences by a preface to receiue them. He firſt demandeth an attentiue eare, ſaying, My ſonne encline thine eares vntounto my ſayings. The reaſon hereof is, for that faith cometh by hearing, and the eare is the doore at which knowledge doth eſpecially enter. Secondly, he requireth a watchfull eye. Let them not depart from thine eyes. If the eye be not ſanctified by the word and ſpirit, enuie, pride, adulterie, and other vices, will therein hauehave an habitation. Thirdly, he doth alſo claime a faithful heart. Keepe them within thine heart. If the ſoule be careleſſe or not inwardly reformed as well as the outward ſenſes, the ſeede of the word is loſt, which either the foules of the aire will picke out, or the thornes will choke, or the ſtones will cauſe to wither. For they are life vntounto thoſe who find them, and wholſome to the whole fleſh of eueryevery one of them. The doctrines of the Scripture are able to make men wiſe vntounto ſaluatiō, yea whoſoeuer obey them, ſhall be ſure not onelyonly to liue, but to liue in proſperous health, if not alwayes of the bodie, yet of the ſoule.
23 Aboue all watch and vvard keepe thine heart, for out of it proceed the iſſues of life.
As before Dauid hath diſſwaded his ſonne from the companie of wicked perſons, ſo now he warneth him to take heed, that he hauehave no fellowſhip with any euill things. He forbiddeth in this verſe the pollution of the heart or ſpirit. Aboue all watch and ward keepe thine heart, not onelyonly looke that thy ſoule be free from pride, hypocriſie, and ſuch vices, but aboue all other things, do this. Rather looke to the cleanſing of thine heart, then to the cleanſing of thy well: rather looke to the feeding of thine heart, then to the feeding of thy flocke: rather looke to the defending of thine heart, then to the defending of thine houſe: rather looke to the keeping of thine heart, then to the keeping of thy money. For out of it proceed the fountaines or iſſues of life. Seeing the hart is the wel-ſpring of motion, ſenſe, and vigor, the leaſt hurt which befallerh the heart, muſt needes bring death, and therefore it ſtandeth thee vponupon, to looke that thine heart be not infected with any poyſon, but eſpecially that thy ſpirituall heart be not venomed with ſinne; for out of the heart commeth murder, adulteries, and all miſchiefes, as our Sauiour teacheth.
24 Remoue from thee, the peruerſeneſſe of the mouth, and put farre avvay from thee, the naughtineſſe of the lippes.
Now in the ſecond place, Dauid admoniſheth his ſonne,Col. 3.8. to lay aſide all euill and filthie ſpeaking. The toung indeede is the moſt excellent member in our body, if ſo be that it glorifie God and edifie men. But if it breake the bridle or abuſe it ſelfe in ſpeeches, there is nothing in our whole body more hurtful thē it is. We are thē not without cauſe willed to remoue from vsus the peruerſneſſe of the mouth, after that we hauehave bene exhorted aboue all things to looke to our harts. All the vices of the toung are comprehended vnderunder theſe two wordes, peruerſeneſſe and naughtines. We are then charged to take heed of blaſphemy, hereſie, periurie, lying, curſing, ieſting, backebiting, brawling, fooliſh ſpeaking, boaſting, and infinit other ſuch deformities of the mouth and of the lips.
25 Let thine eyes looke directlie on afore, & let thine eyes lids vievv ſtreight before thee.
26 Ponder the path of thy foore, and let all thy vvayes be ordered aright.
27 Turne not to the right hand or the left, remoue thy foote from euill.
In this cōcluſion of the Chapter, we hauehave the laſt inſtruction of Dauid ſet downe. The ſumme of it is, that his ſonne ſhould keep all the parts of his body & powers of his ſoule in the obedience of Gods commaundements.Epheſ. 5.15. Let thine eyes looke directly on afore, &c. Walke circumſpectly, not as the vnwiſe but as the wiſe, redeeming the time. For, to take heede to the way, to looke on ſtrait before, and not to turne aſide hither or thither, are properties of a wiſe traueller. Now what a daungerous thing it is to looke awry neuer ſo litle, the example of Lots wife may teſtifie. Iob cōſidering this point verie deepely, made (as he witneſſeth) a couenant with his eyes, not to looke on a mayd. The roote of theſe preceptes is to be found in the fift of Deutronomie and the thirtie and eight verſe, where the Lord ſpeaketh thus to the people of Iſraell, You ſhall take heede that you doe as the Lord your God commaundeth you, ſee that ye decline not, either to the right hand or the left.