Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Proverbs · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
Verſ. 1. WIſdome hath builded her houſe, &c.] See the Note chap. 1.20. Solomon having ſhewn chap. 7.14. how the harlot tempted the young man with the feaſt ſhe had provided, here, as in oppoſition thereto, he ſhews how much better a feaſt wiſdome had provided for thoſe that would hearken to her. And ſome conceive that he begins with the building of her houſe, upon occaſion of the mention that was made in the foregoing chapter verſ. 34. of her gates & doors and poſts, Bleſsed is the man that heareth me; watching daily at my gates. The great queſtion is, what is meant here by the houſe which wiſdome is ſaid to have built, & the ſeven pillars thereof, & why her houſe, or, as ſome more peculiarly conceive of it, her banqueting houſe, is here ſet forth as ſuch a goodly, ſtately & ſpacious palace. To which I anſwer, that there are ſome that by this houſe underſtand the ſoul of every juſt man, & that becauſe there Chriſt dwells by his ſpirit, & becauſe the ſoul is the proper ſeat of wiſdome, & is in the Saints adorned with manifold graces. But there are two other expoſitions which ſeem to be moſt probable. The one is, that by this houſe is meant the third heaven, of which Chriſt ſpeaks Joh. 14.2. In my fathers houſe are many manſions; which ſhall not periſh, as the lower heavens ſhall, 2 Pet. 3.10. the heavens shall paſſe away with a great noiſe, but ſhall continue unto all eternity the moſt glorious habitation of Chriſt and his members, 1 Theſ. 4.17. & Joh. 17.24. & is therefore ſaid here to be built upon ſeven, that is, many pillars; ſee the Note 1 Sam. 2.5. The other is, that by this houſe is meant the Church of God which Chriſt hath raiſed from the beginning of the world, & richly adorned with the gifts & graces of the holy Ghoſt, & is now ſpread over the whole world, & ſo eſtabliſhed by the mighty power of Chriſt, that it ſhall certainly continue unto all eternity, and ſo may well be compared to a ſtately houſe built upon ſeven pillars. Yet the moſt of Expoſitours alſo adde, that by the ſeven pillars are meant the Prophets & Apoſtles, & other Teachers which in all ages Chriſt hath raiſed in his Church, & hath furniſhed with gifts & graces, that they might be enabled for their work, & might be great means to bear up & ſupport the faith of others; ſee Gal. 2.9: and that this might alſo be expreſſed thus by Solomon, with reference to that material Temple which, by the wiſdome that God had given him, Solomon had built, and that upon many pillars, and which was a type of the Church of God.
Verſ. 2. She hath killed her beaſts, &c.] This which is here added concerning wiſdomes feaſt, following immediately upon that in the foregoing verſe concerning the building of her houſe, ſeems to imply an alluſion to the feaſts they were wont to make at the dedication of their new-built houſes: she hath mingled her wine; to wit, with ſome choice kinds of waters, as they uſed to doe in thoſe hot countries, to allay the heat thereof, wherewith they were exceedingly refreſhed; or rather with ſpices, for by mixed wine ſeems to be meant the choiceſt ſort of wine, Prov. 23.29, 30. Who hath woe? &c. They that tarry long at the wine, they that goe to ſeek mixt wine. And now by this feaſt which wiſdome provides for her gueſts is meant, 1. that ſpirituall food of the Word and Sacrament, with all thoſe ſpirituall bleſſings & refreſhing delights & comforts which thereby are conveyed unto our ſouls; as a partaking in the body and bloud of Chriſt, the aſſurance of Gods love, & our ſalvation, the ſanctifying graces of Gods ſpirit, & peace of conſcience, which is a continuall feaſt; and 2. the glory & joyes of heaven, which Chriſt alſo ſets forth under the ſimilitude of a feaſt, Luk. 22.30. That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdome. This I conceive is the full drift of theſe words. Yet ſome adde too, that by wiſdomes mingling her wine is implyed, that ſhe condeſcends to the capacity of the weakeſt, as it is noted of our Saviour Mark 4.33. that he ſpake the word unto the people, as they were able to hear it. As for the laſt clauſe, she hath alſo furnished her table, it may imply, that all things being in a readineſs, it was fit that her gueſts ſhould make haſt to come in.
Verſ. 3. She hath ſent forth her maidens, &c.] Becauſe wiſdome hath been hitherto repreſented as ſome great Princeſſe or Lady, therefore her ſervants, whom ſhe ſends forth to invite men to her feaſt, to wit the Prophets & Apoſtles, & other incorrupt teachers of the word, are here ſutably tearmed maidens; & that haply the rather to ſet forth the weakneſſe and contemptibleneſſe of Gods meſſengers, and to ſhew that wiſdome draws in men, not by force, but by gentle invitations. And it may be that theſe modeſt maidens are here oppoſed to that harlot mentioned afterwards verſ. 13. However obſervable it is, how expreſly this agreeth with that of our Saviour, Luk. 11.49. Therefore alſo ſaid the wiſdome of God, I will ſend them prophets and Apoſtles, &c. And then for the following words, she crieth upon the higheſt places of the city, ſee the Note chap. 8.2.
Verſ. 4. Whoſo is ſimple, let him turn in hither, &c.] See the Note chap. 1.4. He ſeems to intend thoſe that are ſimple, and do ſee and with all humility acknowledge that they are ſo.
Verſ. 7. He that reproveth a ſcorner, &c.] See the Note Pſal. 1.1: getteth to himſelf shame, &c. to wit, in that the ſcorner will not only mock & deride him, but alſo caſt ſome aſperſions or other upon him; & likewiſe becauſe others will be ready enough to cenſure him for his imprudent medling with ſuch a one. Now this is here added, either to ſhew why in the foregoing verſes wiſdome did invite none but the ſimple to come in to her; or at leaſt to ſhew who they are that reap no good by wiſdomes invitations.
Verſ. 8. Reprove not a ſcorner, leſt he hate thee, &c.] As if he had ſaid, and ſo thou ſhalt to no purpoſe expoſe thy ſelf to his malice, & withall ſhalt be an occaſion of farther ſin to him. But now this muſt be underſtood only of thoſe, that after ſufficient triall, are by their continued obſtinacy found to be incorrigible; and ſo likewiſe it muſt be underſtood only of private reproofs; for in the publick miniſtry the worſt of men muſt be reproved. Rebuke a wiſe man, and he will love thee; to wit, ſooner or later.
Verſ. 10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wiſdome, &c.] See the Notes chap. 1.7. and Pſal. 111.10. Here this is inſerted, either 1. as a reaſon why the wiſe and juſt man is the better for reproof & inſtruction, as is ſaid in the two foregoing verſes, namely, becauſe ſuch men do fear God; or 2. to ſhew what it is wherein the wiſe are to be inſtructed, to wit, that they are to be taught to fear God; or 3. rather, to ſhew what that wiſdome was, and where men muſt begin to learn it, whereunto they were invited before verſ. 6. Forſake the foolish and live, & goe in the way of underſtanding. As for the following words, and the knowledge of the holy is underſtanding, the meaning is, that true underſtanding conſiſts, not in the knowledge of naturall & civill things, but either 1. in the knowledge of the holy God (for though that word the holy be in the plurall number in the Original, yet we know the Scripture doth uſually ſpeak of God in the plurall number; and it may ſeem moſt probable, that the knowledge of the holy here is made to anſwer, as it were, the fear of God in the firſt clauſe, as being the ſame in effect with that:) or 2. in the knowledge of holy things, that is, the holy myſteries of ſalvation revealed in the Scriptures: or 3. the knowledge of the holy Saints & ſervants of God. And indeed theſe three are all one in effect: for what is the knowledge of the Saints, but the knowledge of thoſe holy truths in the Scripture concerning God and his will, which by the Spirit of God is wrought in them, and which they teach others?
Verſ. 11. For by me thy daies shall be multiplyed, &c.] See the Notes chap. 3.2, 18, 22. & Pſal. 91.16. This depends, as moſt Expoſitours conceive, upon that which was ſaid before verſ. 6. Forſake the foolish and live, ſaith wiſdome there, and goe in the way of underſtanding; & then it follows here, for by me thy daies shall be multiplyed, &c. And very fitly is this promiſe made upon wiſdomes invitation of men to the feaſt ſhe had made, ſince the end of eating and drinking is to preſerve life, and lengthen mens daies.
Verſ. 12. If thou be wiſe, thou shalt be wiſe for thy ſelf, &c.] See the Notes Job 22.2, 3. This could not be ſaid of the worldling, becauſe he is not wiſe for eternity. But if thou ſcorneſt, thou alone shalt bear it; ſee the Note Job 35.8. The drift of the whole verſe is, as if Solomon or wiſdome had ſaid, I ſpeak not for mine own profit, but for thine; all the good or hurt, according as thou obeyeſt or deſpiſeſt my counſell, will redound unto thy ſelf.
Verſ. 13. A foolish woman is clamorous, &c.] Many learned Expoſitours do underſtand this of the whoriſh woman, of whom ſo much hath been formerly ſaid; & conceive that ſhe is here again deſcribed by wiſdome, or Solomon, that young men might eſpecially be warned to take heed of this ſin. And indeed the deſcription that is here given of this foolish woman doth well ſuit the harlot; as that ſhe is clamorous, for which ſee the Note chap. 7.11. & that ſhe knoweth nothing: for though before it be ſaid chap. 7.10. that ſhe is ſubtle of heart, in regard of her wicked craft & cunning, yet in regard of true wiſdome & underſtanding it may well be ſaid that ſhe knoweth nothing, there being no ſin that makes men and women more ſtupid and brutiſh then that doth. Yea in the words that are afterwards here verſ. 18. uſed, concerning thoſe that are overcome by this foolish woman, that he knoweth not that the dead are there, &c. there ſeems to be a clear reference to what was ſaid before concerning the harlot, ch. 2.18. & 5.5. which indeed doth moſt prevail with me to account this the beſt expoſition of the words. But yet the truth is, that the moſt of our beſt Expoſitours, & that with very great probability, do otherwiſe conceive of this place, namely, that it was intended to be an allegoricall expreſſion: and accordingly ſome ſay, that by the foolish woman here is meant either philoſophy, or pleaſure, or carnall reaſon, or falſe doctrine, or Antichriſt; & others, worldly wiſdome, & that this is oppoſed to true wiſdome before deſcribed; & others better, that hereby is meant all ſinfull folly whatſoever, even whatever is contrary to that wiſdome of God which is revealed in the Scriptures, which is indeed no better then folly, what ſhew ſoever it may make of wiſdome; & that this ſinfull folly is here ſet forth, as wiſdomes corrivall, and repreſented under the perſon of ſome baſe beggarly harlot, to ſhew that whatever men ſet their hearts upon beſides God & Chriſt and his grace, they are guilty of ſpirituall adultery: & accordingly they underſtand the following words; as that ſhe is clamorous, that is, 1. generally, that, as Solomon ſaith elſewhere Eccleſ. 10.14. a fool is full of words; & 2. more particularly, that ſinfull folly uſeth many arguments from the pleaſure & profit of it to draw men into it, & that in men of erroneous judgements & wicked lives ſhe is eager and violent to draw men into the crooked waies of errour and wickedneſſe: and then again that ſhe knoweth nothing, that is, that there is nothing of ſound and ſaving knowledge in all the perſwaſions that are uſed to draw men into errour or wickedneſſe.
Verſ. 14. For she ſitteth at the door of her houſe, on a ſeat in the high places of the city.] Underſtanding this of the harlot, it implyes 1. her idleneſſe, which is indeed the chief foment of luſt; and 2. her impudence, in that openly and ſhameleſſely at her door, and in publick aſſemblies, ſhe ſeeks to entice men unto her. But if we underſtand it allegorically, according to what is noted upon the foregoing verſe, of ſinfull folly, it may imply 1. that ſin, in wicked men & men of corrupt judgements in religion, watcheth for all occaſions and opportunities to corrupt & ſeduce others; 2. that ſhe is impudent in tempting and ſolliciting all ſorts of people; 3. that ſhe is full of proud vaunting & boaſting, & doth by her pomp & carnal delights ſeek to inveigle men; & 4. that often ſhe allures men by the hope of high places, & the countenance of great ones, as having many Nobles & Princes to be her agents.
Verſ. 15. To call paſſengers, who goe right on their way.] That is, if we underſtand it of the harlot, thoſe that are following their buſineſſes, not having any thought of her till ſhe allured them; or, (if we underſtand it, as in the verſes before, of ſinfull folly,) to ſeduce the truly godly from the right way of truth and holineſſe, according to that 2 Pet. 2.18. they allure, through the luſts of the flesh, through much wantonneſse, thoſe that were clean eſcaped from them who live in errour: for wickedneſſe cannot endure to ſee others vertuous, and Satan is alwaies moſt eager to foil the righteous.
Verſ. 16. Whoſo is ſimple, let him turn in hither, &c.] If this be referred to the harlot, it cannot be thought that ſhe would with ſuch language call in men to her; only hereby is implyed, that none but ſimple & fooliſh men will be inveigled by her: ſee the Note upon a like expreſſion chap. 1.11. But if we take it, as before is noted, as the invitation of ſinfull folly, it is as if ſhe had ſaid, You that are ſuch fools as to deprive your ſelves of the profits, honours and pleaſures of this life, chuſing to toil your ſelves in wiſdoms waies, wherein you macerate your bodies, and expoſe your ſelves to the hatred of the world, and to manifold afflictions and croſſes, be wiſe at length, and embrace the delights that are in my waies. And indeed wicked men count piety folly & madneſſe.
Verſ. 17. Stolen waters are ſweet, &c.] That is, Sinfull delights taken by ſtealth are the more pleaſant. This is follies, or the harlots banquet, oppoſed to that of wiſdome mentioned above verſ. 2. And in the words there may be an alluſion to thoſe feaſts in harlots houſes, where the proviſion is made up of ſuch things as are ſtolen by filching ſervants and other lewd companions.
Verſ. 18. But he knoweth not that the dead are there, and that her guests are in the depths of hell.] To wit, that they are ſpiritually dead, in the high way to be cut off by ſome violent death, and as ſure to be damned as if they were in hell already: ſee the Notes chap. 2.18. and 5.5. and 7.23. And thus death is made here the effect of follies banquet, as before verſ. 11. life was made the effect of wiſdomes. See the Note alſo chap. 2.19.