Commentary Upon Proverbs, Chapter 5
THE V. CHAPTER.
1 My ſonne hearken vntounto my vviſedome, bow dovvne thine eare to mine vnderſtanding,
2 That thou mayſt regarde counſell, and thy lips preſerue knovvledge.
SAlomon in this Chapter beginneth a new Oratiō, wherof this is the Preface. My ſonne harken vntounto my wiſedome, ſtirre vp the affections of thy minde & applie the powers of thy ſoule vntounto my ſage doctrine. Bowe downe thine eare to mine vnderſtanding, applie alſo the ſenſes of thy body, and liſten with thine eare as they vſe to do, who are deſirous to heare anie ſpeech which they thinke to concerne them. That thou mayſt regard coūſell. To the end that by this means thou mayſt be endued with ſpirituall pollicie, and thy lips preſerue knowledge, to the end alſo, that thou mayſt hauehave the word of God in thy month as a buckler to repell all the firie darts of Sathan, and namely the allurements of the harlot, as Ioſeph did the entiſemēts of his miſtreſſe.
3 Albeit the lips of a ſtrange woman drop as an honie combe, and the roofe of her mouth is ſofter then oyle,
4 Yet her later end is bitter as wormwood, and ſharpe, as a two edged ſword,
5 Her feet go downe to death, her ſteps go downe to the graue.
6 Leſt thou ſhouldeſt ponder the way of life, her pathes wander thou knoweſt not [whither.]
In theſe verſes, Salomon deſcribeth an harlot, painting her out moſt liuely in her colours, to the ende that his ſonne may grow into the greater deteſtation of her. Albeit the lips of a straunge woman drop as the hony combe, & the roofe of her mouth is ſofter then oyle. Although the naughtie womans wordes flow from her without preſſing, and are ſweet to fleſh and blood, inaſmuch as they tickle the ſenſes with promiſe of ioyes and pleaſures: although alſo they are without any roughneſſe, yea they are verie plauſible, foopling the vains and ſinewes with flatteries and ſmooth ſhewes: yet her latter end is bitter as wormewood, ſparpe as a two edged ſword. Neuertheleſſe for all this, her effects are moſt grieuous and deadly, being ſorow of heart, ſhame, deſtruction and damnation. Her feete go downe to death, her ſteps go downe to the graue. As ſhe her ſelfe is neare to a plague, ſo ſhe leadeth her louers vntounto miſerie & puniſhment both of bodie and ſoule. Leſt thou ſhouldest ponder the way of life, her pathes wander thou knoweſt not whither. To conclude, vntounto the end that thou mayeſt not find or diſcerne the way of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe wherein thou art to walke: her ſpeeches, geſtures, and dealings are ſo craftie and crooked, as that like by-pathes full of turnings, they will leade thee hither and thither, & cauſe thee to ſtray in ſuch ſort, as that thou art ſure to miſſe the kingdome of God, for no vncleane perſon ſhall inherit the kingdome of heauē as the Apoſtle witneſſeth,Heb. 13.14. but on the contrary ſide, fornicators, and adulterers the Lord God will iudge.
7 Now therefore (ô ſonnes) hearken vntounto me, and depart not from the wordes of my mouth.
8 Put thy way far off from her, and draw not neare to the doore of her houſe,
9 Leſt thou giuegive thine honor vntounto other, and thy yeares to the cruell:
10 Leſt ſtrangers be filled with thy riches, and thy labours be in another mans houſe:
11 And thou mourne at the laſt, after that thy fleſh and thy bodie hauehave bene conſumed
12 And ſay, how hauehave I hated inſtruction, and my ſoule deſpiſed correction,
13 And hauehave not hearkened to the voyce of my teachers, and not enclined mine eare to mine inſtructors?
14 *So the Hebrew word here vſed is taken. Pſal. 81.15 cahal a counſell, gneda a multitude howſoeuer aſſembled.Within a litle space, I am in all euill, in the middeſt of the congregation and aſſembly.
In theſe verſes, the ſpirituall father, partly admoniſheth his ſonne to vſe all meanes whereby he may be preſerued from adulterie, partly alledgeth ſundry reaſons to this intent and purpoſe. One meanes of auoiding the allurements of the ſtrumpet, is liſtening to good counſell or the word of God, contained in theſe words, Now therefore ô ſonnes hearken vntounto me. Another is, flying of the place where ſhe keepeth, Put thy way farre off from her, and draw not neare to the doore of her houſe. For in deed as it is in our common prouerbe, he that would no euill do, muſt do no thing which longs thereto. Men will ſhunne the doore of an houſe infected with the peſtilence: much more then is the habitation of the harlot to be auoyded, who is infinitely more contagious and dangerous then anie plague. The firſt reaſon ſet downe by the holy Ghoſt to diſſwade men from paſſing by the way where the adultereſſe keepeth is, leſt thou giuegive thine honor to other, leſt thou looſe by this meanes thy beautie, ſtrength, and good name. The ſecond reaſon is, leſt thou giuegive thy yeares to the cruell, leſt thou by this meanes incurring the fierce wrath of the naughtie womans husband, or kinſfolke, or friends, be cut off by their crueltie as Shechem was by Shimeon and Leui, before the naturall courſe of thy life be expired. The third cauſe is, leſt ſtrangers be filled with thy riches, and thy labors be in another mans houſe. Leſt alſo like the prodigall ſonne, thou ſpend thy goods vponupon harlots, bauds, ruffians, and ill companions, yea euen that thy ſubſtance, which thou haſt got by labour and earned dearely with the ſweat of thy brows. The laſt argumēt is, leſt thou mourn at the laſt, finally leſt when it is too late, thou howle and crie as the beaſts which are drawne or ſtricken to be ſlaine, or as deſperat men are wont to do, after that thy fleſh and bodie hauehave bene conſumed, when as now thy vitall ſpirits hauehave bene ſpent, & thy carkaſſe plagued and pined with ſome ſore diſeaſe, and ſay, howe hauehave I hated inſtruction, &c. and then thou feele & acknowledge with griefe, that a Prophet was ſent to thee. Within a litle ſpace I am in all euill, in the midſt of the congregation and aſſembly. Suddenly in a ſhort time, I am made an open ſpectacle of ſhame and vengeance, in the place of araignement and execution, before the bench and the common people. All theſe reaſons are taken from humane dammages; and as concerning the laſt, it can not throughly be vnderſtood, vnleſſe it be cōſidered, that adulterers vnderunder Moſes law were puniſhed with death.
15 *To let paſſe diuerſe other reaſons, theſe words and verſes I expoūd not Synecdochically as doth Iumus, but Allegorically of the vſe of wedlocke, becauſe the ſame ſtate is vſually in the ſcripture ſhadowed our by the ſame borowed ſpeeches which here are vſed, as Num. 24.7. Deut. 33.28 Eſa. 48. 1. Pſal. 68.27. Eſa. 51. 1. Ouid as an eccho vntounto Salomon, reſoundeth theſe ſentēces in verſe thus lib. 2. de remedio amoris, Explenda eſt ſitis iſta tibi quâ praeditus ardes. Cedimus, è medio …am licet amne bibas. Sed bibe plus etiā quàm quod praecordia poſcunt. Gutiure fac pleno ſumpta redū det aqua. Et fruere vſque tuâ nullo prohibente puella, Illa tibi noctes auferat illa dies. See a like admonition Eccleſ. 9.9.Drinke water out of thine own ceſtern, and liquour out of the midſt of thine owne well.
16 Thy fountaines ſhall diſperſe them ſelues abrode, thy ſtreames of water in the ſtreets.
17 They ſhall be thine in ſeuerall, and not other mens with thee.
18 Let thy well ſpring be bleſſed: and reioyce in the wife of thy youth.
19 Let her be a moſt louely hind, and an amiable Roe:
20 Let her pappes ſuckle thee at all times, dote in the louelove of her continually.
In theſe verſes, a remedie of that foule vice of adulterie is preſcribed, which a litle before hath bene condemned. Drinke water out of thine owne ceſterne, &c. enioy thine owne yoke fellow, for mariage is honorable among all, &c. Thy fountaines ſhall diſperſe them ſelues abrode, &c. Rather here enioy thy delite to the full, then go aſtray with ſtrangers. Let thy well ſpring be bleſſed: Let thy wife become a frutefull vine, that thou mayſt hauehave plenty of children of thine owne, lawfully begotten in honeſt wedlocke. And reioyce in the wife of thy youth. Liue chearefully with her whom the Lord hath firſt matched with thee and linked vntounto thee. Let her be a moſt louely hind and a moſt amiable Roe. Euen as the Hart being moſt fond of the hinde, followeth her vp and downe and ſolaceth him ſelfe with her: or as the Roe buck, being exceedingly enamoured with the female Roe, deliteth in her, and wandreth with her: ſo walke, talke, & refreſh thy ſelfe with thy wedded ſpouſe, louing her moſt dearly all the dayes of thy life. Let her pappes ſuckle thee at all times, dote in the louelove of her continually. Finally, euen as the litle infant contenteth himſelfe with the breaſts of his mother or nurſe; or as they who are ſtricken in yeares dote greatly on thoſe things which they like: ſo, being ſatiſfied with her alone, (whatſoeuer wants or frailties ſhe hath,) let her ſeeme of all other moſt beautifull, yet let her be a peereleſſe pearle in thine eye.
21 And why ô my ſonne, ſhouldeſt thou *or Dote on.go aſtray with a ſtrange woman, and embrace the breaſt of another mans wife,
22 Sith eueryevery mans wayes are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his paths?
23 His owne iniquities ſhall take the wicked man, and he ſhall be held by the cords of his own ſinne:
24 He ſhall die for vvant of inſtruction, and for that he wandereth in his great folly.
In this concluſion of the chapter, the ſpirit of God addeth a diuine reaſon diſſwading from adultery, vntounto thoſe humane, which before hauehave alreadie bene ſet downe to this intent. And why ô my ſonne ſhouldest thou go aſtray with a ſtrange woman, or dote on a ſtrange woman? Great cauſe there is, why thou ſhouldeſt flie all liking of other women beſides thine owne wife, & why thou ſhouldeſt not be ſo bold as to come neare vntounto an harlot. Sith eueryevery mās ways are before the eyes of the Lord, in aſmuch as God plainly ſeeth the moſt ſecret actions that are done, yea the verie inward cogitatiōs of the heart. And he pondereth all his pathes. Yea and ſith the eternal God examineth all the deeds & thoughts of men and iudgeth them in iuſtice. His owne iniquities ſhall take the wicked man, wherefore, howſoeuer for a time the vngodly perſon and the adulterer may go abrode freely or be out of trouble: yet his owne ſinne as a bailiffe or ſergeant ſhall at the laſt arreſt and apprehend him. For his conſcience ſhall checke him, & ſummon him before the tribunall ſeate of God. And he ſhall be held by the cords of his owne ſinne. Moreouer the troubles of the Lord, raiſed vp by his tranſgreſſions, ſhall as iaylors bind him with ſuch bands or irons as it were, that he cannot poſſibly eſcape, being kept together with the euill Angels in chaines of darkeneſſe againſt the day of iudgemēt. He ſhall die for want of inſtruction. At the laſt, death and deſtruction as the Lords executioners, ſhal take away his life from him, yea they ſhall torment him in hell fire. Now all this ſhall befall him for want of inſtruction, for his ignorance, his careleſneſſe, his diſobedience,See a very like ſaying Iob 36.12. and for that he wandreth in his great folly, as alſo for that he goeth aſtray with the ſtrange woman, or committeth many like abhominations.