A Brief Explanation of the Whole Book of Proverbs, Explanation · Chapter 5
CHAPTER. V.
Verſ. 1. My ſonne, attend to my wiſedome, and bow th… Mezimmoth.eare to my vnderſtanding.
Verſ. 2. That thou maieſt regard diſcretion, and thy lippe keepe knowledge
AS the former chapter was for the moſt part… confirmation of the third, ſo is this of the principall points of the ſecond, both in ſoliciting men to liſten vntounto wiſedome, and demonſtrating the need and vſe thereof for the ſhunning of ſubtill and pernitious harlots; and therefore according … his wonted manner he firſt prefixeth a briefe exhortation, as proeme, or preface before his diſcourſe, and then dila… more largely on the matter in hand, euen that ſubiect whic… he hath chiefly choſen to deale in. The former part is an exhortation contained in theſe two verſes; the former where… (inciting vsus to attention) is almoſt word for word agreeable with the ſecond verſe of the ſecond chapter, and the ſecond verſe of the fourth; and the latter propoſeth the end and … of this attention, which is firſt in the minde, ſecondly in … mouth. For the minde, he ſaith, that thou mayest regard diſ… tion, the word ſignifieth ſubtill, and wittie thoughts, viz. … dome and prudencie, which is gotten by a diligent and … ous meditation of things to bee ſpoken, or done; and for t… mouth, and thy lips keepe knowledge. And therefore the d… of all …s, a… …he ſhould hauehave ſaid, Stirre vp, and apply thy … and affe…s, and lend the outward ſenſes alſo of the bo… to the … …hou maieſt neither conceiue euill in thy mind. … willingly …re any euill, or vanity with thine eares, but th… thou mayeſt hauehave the word of God in thy mouth, and thy … bee fe…ed againſt the lips of an harlot, which allure vn… leaudneſſe.
Verſ. 3. Although the lips of a ſtrange woman drop as an …onie combe, and her pala…e is ſmoother then oyle:
Verſ. 4. Yet her latter end is bitter as wormewood, as ſha…pe as a two edged ſword.
THe better to preſerue men from this foule and damnable ſinne of adultery, hee doth firſt diſcouer and deſcribe the fallacies, and miſchieuo…ſneſſe of the filthie harlot, to the ſeuenth verſe.
Secondly, hee admoniſheth to beware how they hauehave any thing to doe with her, and ſo bring miſery on their owne heads, to the 18. verſe.
Thirdly, he preſcribeth a remedie to preuent it, which is the lawfull and honeſt vſe of marriage, and kindneſſe …o their owne yoke-fellowes. In theſe verſes, and ſome that follow, the whoriſh woman is very liuely painted forth in her colours, to the end ſh… may bee, not onelyonly the better knowne, but the more deteſted; ſhe is called, a ſtrange woman, becauſe ſhe eſtrangeth her ſelfe from God, from her owne husband, from chaſtity, and all goodneſſe; and for what other cauſe, ſee chap. 2. verſ. 16. Her words are very alluring, and full of enticements; the miſery which ſhee draweth men into, is wonderfull loath ſome, and painefull, according as the ſimilitudes doe expreſſe. Albeit the naughty womans words are pleaſant to fleſh and blood, in as much as they tickle the ſenſes with promiſe of ioyes and delights, ſo that they may bee compared to the honey combe, which is moſt ſweet to the taſte: and though her ſpeeches are moſt plauſible and ſmooth, ſo that they may be reſembled to oyle which hurts not the …ndereſt skinne, but rather ſuppleth it, yet for all this her effects are moſt grieuous to bee borne; ſo that they may bee likened to wormewood, which exceeds i… bitternes, and the euils which ſhe brings men to are deadly, ſo that they may bee iuſtly called a two edged ſword: for howſoeuer at the beginning ſh…e bringeth ſolace and comfort, and telleth that her louer may be ſecure from feare of danger yet in the end ſhee workes to him ſhame, beggery, hearts-griefe, deſtruction, and damnation, as after ſhall more plainely appeare.
Verſ. 5. Her feet goe downe to death: her ſteps take holden hell.
AS her lips or her ſpeeches were guilefull, and peſtilent, promiſing ſweet pleaſure, and bringing bitter torments, ſo are her feet, (that is, her goings, and by them is meant he… actions and the reſt of her carriage) moſt noyſome and hurtfull, and goe downe to death, leade to deſtruction, both temporall and eternall: and her ſteps take hold on hell, carrie her ſelfe and thoſe that follow her headlong into perdition; as if hee ſhould hauehave ſaid, both ſhee and her aſſociates are at hels brinke, and are ready vnrecouerably to bee plunged therein: ſee chap. 2. verſ. 18.
Verſ. 6. Lest thou ſhouldeſt ponder the path of life, her wa… are moueable that thou canſt not know them.
HH aggrauateth the perill of her misbehauiour by her art and cunning, in cloaking her practiſes: and it ſeemeth to proceed from a ſecond Prolepſis, or obiection which might be made by ſuch as ſeeke liberty to conuerſe with her.
If ſhe proue ſo dangerous and wicked, I ſhall quickly find Obiect. her out, and deſery her life, and crafty ſeducements, and then I ſhall know what I hauehave to doe, to caſt her off, and forſake her.
Her waies are ſo variable, and her diſpoſitiun ſo mutable, Anſw. and ſhe ſo cunning to transforme her ſelfe into all formes and faſhions, as if thou ſhouldeſt goe about to weigh her actions of life in a ballance, thou ſhouldeſt loſe thy labour, thou wilt be ouerthrowne by her peſtilent inchantments, before thou canſt looke into her villanous deſignes, and wicked courſes. He reſembleth her either to fugitiue malefactors, which run vp and downe, hither and thither vnconſtantly, and ſeeke diuers places to lurke in, ſo that they might not be eaſily apprehended: or vntounto foxes, and badgers, or ſuch like wild beaſts, which hauehave many haunts, and many holes, and therein many …ſes and turnings, by meanes wherof they are hardly taken. Of this her artificall diſſimulation Salomon ſpeaketh in another place, ſaying, Such is the way of an adulterous woman; ſhe Prou. 30. 20.eateth and wipeth her mouth, and ſaith, I hauehave not committed iniquity.
Verſ. 7. Now children hearken to me, and decline not from the words of my mouth.
Verſ. 8. Remoue thy way farre from her, and come not neere the doore of her houſe.
VPonUpon the deſcription of an harlot, hee inferreth a two fold admonition, one generall, and the other ſpeciall: the generall is to imbrace his words, both with attention, and obedience, that men ſhould hearken vntounto them, and not turne away from them; and theſe hee oppoſeth as an antidote vntounto her enticing allurements. Heere therefore is ſet downe the harlot on the one ſide, and Salomon, yea the Lord himſelfe on the other; ſhe ſoliciting to hearken to her, and the Lord perſwading to hearken to him; ſhee ſeducing and leading men to leaudneſſe, and hee rightly informing them, and detecting her leaudneſſe. The ſpeciall drift is to teach vsus that we auoide this wretched harlot, whereby is forbidden not onelyonly all vnlawfull, diſhoneſt and vnſeemely company with her, gazing on her, talking with her, &c. but all comming neere to her, and as much as we may, her very ſight and preſence: for gunpowder is no more apt to take fire (if it come neere to it) then our corrupt nature to bee prouoked to this ſinne; and therefore alſo hee would not hauehave vsus to come to her houſe, or the place where ſhee is, yea to the very doores of her houſe, becauſe this diſeaſe is ſo dangerous, that the place it ſelfe is full of perill.
Verſ. 9. Lest thou giuegive thine honour to another, and thy yeeres to the cruell:
Verſ. 10. Lest ſtrangers be filled with thy wealth, and thy labours be in the houſe of a ſtranger.
HEre follow the reaſons taken from the diſcommodities following, and flowing from this ſinne:
whereof ſome are
Outward and bodily, verſ. 9. 10.
Inward, & belong to the mind, v. 11. &c.
Of the outward, the firſt is the forfeiture of a mans honour and dignity, which the perſon that defileth himſelfe with vncleanneſſe, doth as it were take from himſelfe, and giuegive to others, not to enioy (for one cannot duly be honoured by anothers ignominie) but to deface and ſpoile him of it. He doth then thereby expoſe himſelfe, and his eſtimation to obliquie and contempt, that eueryevery one which heareth of his filthy facts, ſhould hauehave him in deriſion, and deſpiſe him. The latter clauſe of this ſentence doth induce vsus to thinke that this is the ſenſe of the former; when hee ſaith, and thy yeeres to the cruell, where giuegive, is referred indifferently to both, and it is euident to al, that a mā may take away life from his neighbour, but make no benefit of it to himſelfe, neuer any can poſſibly liue by another mans death: therefore theſe words doe declare the ſecond diſcommodity of whoredome, the endangering of his life, and yeeres that are behinde, to the cruell, viz. to any that ſhall fiercely purſue him: her husband, or other friends that are diſhonoured by it, her other louers; her corriuals inflamed with enuie and ſpite; her ſelfe, who ſometimes poyſoneth thoſe which ſhe hath had to doe withall, that ſhe might the more freely proſtitute and giuegive ouer her ſelfe wholly to others whom ſhe better likes: or the hand of the Magiſtrate, whoſe office it is to cut off adulterers, who ſtirred vp by Gods iudgement, may proue very ſharpe in purſuing of him, and with as great ſeuerity as if he were cruell, though properly for that he is not to be ſo called, but iuſt and righteous. The third is the loſſe of his goods, which in the Hebrew text is called ſtrength, and labour, becauſe thereby he had obtained them: by which tearmes hee doth vpbraid him with ſottiſhnes and folly, which would ſo wretchleſly, and ſinfully depart with that whereupon hee beſtowed his ſtrength, and which hee compaſſed not without great paines and trauell. And this is yet further exaggerated by the perſons vponupon whom it is conferred, viz. ſtrangers, and forrainers, not onelyonly not of his owne blood, or alliance, to whom hee is bound in ſpeciall manner, by the law of good nature, but alſo not of his friends, to whom he oweth the ſecond dutie of kindneſſe. As if he ſhould hauehave ſaid: Thou ſhalt not only conſume and waſt that patrimony which hath been deſcended vponupon thee, or been bequeathed to thee, that neither wife, child, brother, or friend, or thoſe that are neereſt vntounto thee ſhall be the better for it, nor thy ſelfe hauehave the fruition of it but ſhall feede, yea in rich ſtrumpets, bawds, ruffians, and ill companions with that which thou haſt got by the toyle and labour of thine hands, and earned dearely with the ſweate of thy browes.
Verſe 11. And thou mourne at the laſt, when thy fleſh and thyNahamta. body are conſumed.
NOw wee come to the inward diſcommoditie, the griefe and vexation of the heart, which this impure behauiour produceth: which is argued partly by the cauſe, and partly by the effects: the cauſe is, the wasting of his fleſh and body, which vncleane perſons (if they eſcape death) doe fall into: for beſides that, ordinarily they ſpend their ſtrength, with their goods, and good names, and the hazard of their liues, and become weake and feeble: how many filthy and loathſome diſeaſes doe they fall into that giuegive themſelues vntounto this ſinne: ſome ſo farre, that in the end their very bowels fall out, and there is great force in this argument: for albeit this miſchiefe befall not all adulterers, yet not one can ſecure himſelfe as free from the perill of it. The effects of their griefe are two: firſt, their crying, in this verſe: ſecondly, their complaining, in the three next. Their mourning and crying for the bitternes of it is reſembled to the roring of a lion, for ſo much the word importeth.
Verſe 12. 13. &c. And ſay, How long hauehave I hated inſtruction, and my heart deſpiſed correction? and hauehave not obeyed the voyce of my teachers, nor inclined mine eare to them that inſtructed me?
THe complaint of the whoremonger is heere ſpecified, wherein he bewaileth the hainouſnes of his ſinne, and the grieuouſnes of the puniſhment; yet it is not the wiſe mans intent to giuegive vntounto whoremongers any promiſe▪ or note of true repentance, by theſe ſayings: for hee declareth what miſerie ſhould bring them vntounto it, and extort it from them, and not what grace it ſhould worke: for many are driuen to make this confeſſion which neuer repent of their ſinnes, nor come to ſaluation. The holy Ghoſt therefore bringeth their owne teſtimonie, witneſſing how they are plagued, and not how they are conuerted: the ſinne which he acknowledgeth is not the direct act of adulterie, or fornication, but that which went before, and made a way for the ſame, which was contempt of inſtruction, and reproofe; which he aggrauateth by the manner, that it was with hatred thereof, and the hatred from the root, euen from his heart, and therefore vehement and deadly: and the effect that followed vponupon it, that he was diſobedient vntounto thoſe which were ſet ouer him, and had authoritie to teach him. It is as if he ſhould hauehave ſaid: How long hauehave I hated inſtruction and correction? What a beaſt was I, and voide of common ſenſe ſo to deteſt that information and diſcipline, which would hauehave done me ſo much good, and reiected all that wholeſome aduice and counſell, which they that were wiſe, and knew what was beſt for me, which were alſo my friends, and ſhewed their faithfulnes, did miniſter vntounto me?
Verſe 14. I am almoſt in all euill, in the midst of the congregation and aſſemblie.
THe puniſhment which hee bewaileth is aggrieued partly by the quantitie and meaſure of it, partly by the qualitie and manner of it. For the former, it is of large extent, and very generall; he ſaith that he is almoſt in all euill, there is ſcarce any miſerie which he is free from; hee is couered with ſhame, hee is pinched with want, hee is tormented with paine, hee is plagued in his name, in his goods, in his body, in his ſoule, in himſelfe, and thoſe that belong vntounto him: for the latter, it is conſpicuous, and notorious: he ſaith, that he is in this caſe in the midst of the congregation and aſſemblie, either for that his facts, and misbehauiour are cenſured by the Magiſtrate to his often rebuke, and infamie in the publike aſſembly; or becauſe his plagues were vniuerſally knowne to the multitude, and all men vnderſtood what filthineſſe he had committed, and what calamities he now ſuſtained. By the ſame argument, and after the ſame manner Iob deſcribeth the miſerable condition of the wicked, they are destroyed, and as it were ground to peeces in the gate.
Verſe 15. Drinke waters out of their owne ciſterne, and running waters out of thine owne well.
THe ſcope of theſe words, and others following, is to perſwade men to a contrary courſe, namely, to a chaſt, cleane, and honeſt conuerſation, alluring them thereunto by a promiſe of an happie ſtate and condition, contrary to that of the whoremaſter, for hee oppoſeth Gods bleſſing and plentie to that bitter cup of curſe and penurie, which thoſe wretched ſinners were driuen to acknowledge that they had drunk of ſo deeply: wherein thou muſt note alſo that honour, and bodily welfare, and comfort of heart, being oppoſite to the diſgrace, diſeaſes, and vexation of minde, are to bee vnderſtood as well as maintenance for the eſtate, though that onelyonly, and none of them be expreſſed. Drinke waters out of thine owne ciſternes. In the land of Iſrael, and the countries bordring vponupon it, wels, and ciſternes of water were very precious, and eſteemed for poſſeſſions of great worth, as appeareth by the eſtimation Abraham and Iſaack had them i…: and ſo much may be collected from the ſpeech of the woman of Samaria to Chriſt, Art thou greater then our father Iacob that gaue vsus this well and Ioh. 4. 12.dranke thereof himſelfe, and his children, and his cattell? For water was the ordinary and common drinke (though they had alſo wine) and ſweeter and better then ours is: ſo then this being a principall commoditie is put here for all others. And whereas he doth ſay, drinke, it is a precept, and an incouragement mixed together: as if he ſhould hauehave ſaid, Keep thy ſelfe honeſt, and beware of that beaſtly woman, that ſo thou maiſt retaine thine owne poſſeſſions, and enioy the comfortable vſe and benefit of them.
Verſe 16. Let thy fountaines be diſperſed abroad, and riuer: of waters in the ſtreetes.
17. Let them be onelyonly thine, and not a ſtrangers with thee.
18. Let thy fountaine be bleſſed, &c.
LEt thy fountaine, &c. Looke ſo to thine owne eſtate as that thou maiſt be able to communicate to others, and bee not niggardly, but liberall to diſtribute to thoſe which be in wā …: and the riuers of thy waters in the ſtreetes, viz. Let thoſe good things wherewith the Lord hath endowed thee, be made profitable for the comfort of many, and euen for the publike benefit of the place where thou dwelleſt. So that where the ſinfull adulterer had not enough left to maintaine himſelfe, a good man that in conſcience, and feare of God flieth from that ſinne, ſhall hauehave wherewith hee ſhall bee able to relieue many others. Let them be thine owne. He meaneth not but that others ſhould hauehave the vſe of them, as need requireth, according to the former verſe, but that they ſhould be rightly poſſeſſed, and not riotouſly ſpent. And not the ſtrangers with thee, vz. Bring not to paſſe by thy follie and diſorder, thou ſhouldeſt beſtow them vponupon thy luſt, and make vile companions either owners of all, or to ſhare equally with thee, and to hauehave as much to doe with them as thy ſelfe.
Let thy fountaine be bleſſed. Bee vertuous in keeping thy veſſel in holines and honor, auoiding the luſt of concupiſcence: be mercifull in miniſtring to them that be in neceſſitie: and bee prouident not to ſpend thy goods vponupon vnworthy perſons, and thy fountaine, thy ſtate and poſſeſſions ſhall be bleſſed, God by his prouidence, and goodneſſe ſhall proſper them.
And reioyce with the wife of thy youth. Hitherto hee hath prohibited adultery, and giuen men warning to beware of it: and now hee preſcribeth a remedie, which whoſoeuer ſhall vſe, ſhall vndoubtedly be deliuered from the perill of it: and that is, the louelove and kinde vſage of our owne yoke-fellow: which louelove is here intimated by the effect of it; reioyce, viz. with the wife of thy youth, take pleaſure and delight in her; liue cheerefully with her whom the Lord hath firſt matched with thee, as moſt naturally louing, and to bee beloued. And ſo ought men alſo to deale with their ſecond wiues, and ſuch as are matrones, and ancient. Bathſhebah deſerued to bee as much beloued of Dauid, as Michol, and no doubt ſhee was a great ioy and comfort to him.
Verſe 19. Let her be as the louing Hinde, and pleaſant Roe: let her breasts ſatisfie thee at all times: and erre thou in her louelove continually.
ANd this is illuſtrated by two compariſons, one of the Hart, and the other of the Roe-bucke; both which doe exceedingly louelove, and in their louelove follow after their mates, the Hinde, and the Roe. Let her breaſts ſatisfie thee at all times. The means to nouriſh and preſerue this louelove is, to continue a conſtant liking of, and contentment with her perſon, that as it was pleaſing to thee when thou diddeſt firſt ſet thine heart vponupon her, and make choice of her; ſo no infirmities ſhould cauſe thy mind to be alienated away from her, and dote vponupon others. Let her breaſts, &c. her preſence, and perſonage, and the vſe of her body ſatisfie thee, as well delight thine eyes, and otherwiſe ſuffice, as the milke of the mothers breaſts doth content the appetite of the infant. At all times, not onelyonly in the flower of youth, and freſhneſſe of beautie, but afterwards when faireneſſe and naturall beautie ſhall bee decayed, euen during the whole ſeaſon you ſhall liue together. And erre thou in her louelove, ſpare not to bee inamored with her, and rather hauehave too high an opinion of her, then too meane: thinke her for thee, and in thine eye the beautifull of all others: walke with her, talke with her; be moſt kinde and louing vntounto her, and let her bee moſt acceptable and pleaſing vntounto thee.
Verſ. 20. For why wilt thou my ſon, be rauiſht with a ſtrange woman, or imbrace the boſome of a ſtranger?
THere followeth the concluſion of this whole matter vponupon the premiſes inferred:
wherein
1. Hee ſheweth that there remaineth no cauſe at all why a man ſhould giuegive himſelfe to whoredome, and deale perfidiouſly with his wife. verſe 20.
2. He ſheweth the dangerous eſtate of them that breake wedlocke to commit whoredome. verſe. 21. 22. 23.
The former he propoundeth by way of queſtion, demanding why, as if he hauing gathered his arguments together, he ſhould hauehave thus ſaid: Wherefore my ſonne, ſeeing whoredome hath ſo many and ſo great diſcommodities and diſcomforts following on the one ſide, and a good wife brings ſo many, and ſo great comforts on the other; what cauſe or reaſon is there, why leauing or forſaking thy wife, thou ſhouldeſt giuegive thy ſelfe vntounto an harlot, and commit wickedneſſe with her? (for vnderunder honeſt words of imbracing her boſome, he vnderſtands the filthy act of adultery: foraſmuch as he that is ſo impudent and audatious to doe the one, will not be aſhamed, or afraid to practiſe the other.) If there were no comfort to be found in the company of a lawfull wife, yet the diſcommodities that follow vponupon a whore ſhould diſſwade thee from her. If there were no miſchiefe from a whore, yet the ſolace which a lawfull yoke-fellow will yeeld, would make thee preferre her before the harlot.
Verſ. 21. For the waies of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondreth all his goings.
THe latter part of this concluſion touching the dangerous eſtate of adulterers▪ hee declareth by generall reaſons, which are common to other ſinnes with this. The firſt is from the cleere ſight of Gods eyes, which is ſuch, as all the waies of all men are ſeene of them, and ſo cleerely, diſtinctly, and perticularly, as if they lay, or were purpoſely ſet one by one ouer againſt his eyes, ſo that he need not to turne backe, or ſo much as to turne a ſide to looke vponupon them. This argument is encreaſed by his curious noting and obſeruing all our pathes, which is enlightened by a metaphor of weighing them, as the Gold-ſmith doth his gold and ſiluer in a paire of ballances.
Verſ. 22. His owne iniquitie ſhall take the wicked himſelfe; and he ſhall he holden with the cords of his ſinnes.
Verſ. 23. He ſhall die without instruction, and for that in the greatneſſe of his follie he goeth astray.
THe ſecond argument whereby this danger is manifeſted, is taken from the effect of wicked mens ſinne, and by way of gradation, His owne wickedneſſe (ſaith he) ſhall take the wicked himſelfe, howſoeuer for a time the adulterer, or any other vngodly man may goe abroad freely, and bee out of all trouble, yet at the laſt his ſin, and Gods iudgement for them, like a Sergeant, or Conſtable, or other officer ſhall apprehend him: for his conſcience ſhall checke him, and ſummon him before the tribunall ſeate of God, beſides the externall curſes and plagues that ſhall ſeaze vponupon him, and hee ſhall bee held with the cords of his ſinne, his guiltineſſe and puniſhments, the terrours of his hart with plagues and miſeries ſhall, as Iaylors, binde him with ſuch bonds or irons, as it were, as that he ſhall not be able with wit, or wealth, or all the meanes hee can vſe to free himſelfe, and eſcape from Gods vengeance. At the laſt, death and deſtruction, as the Lords executioners ſhall …ke away his life from him, and torment him with the …ned f…r euer. Now all this ſhall befall him for want of instruction, becauſe he refuſed to be inſtructed, and go…th astray in his great follie, turneth out of the good way of ho…neſſe and righteouſneſſe, and wandreth in his carnall reaſon, and fleſhly luſts, and according to the peruerſenes of his obſtina…e and wilfull hart, which of all follies and madneſſe is the greateſt, groſſeſt, and moſt palpable: no child is ſo ſillie, no idiote is ſo ſimple, no franticke perſon is ſo deuoide of vnderſtanding, no beaſt is ſo brutiſh, as hee that will reiect Gods wiſe counſell to ſatisfie himſelfe in his ſinfull deſires.