Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Proverbs · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
Verſ. 1. A Soft anſwer turneth away wrath; but grievous words stir up anger.] That is, they both kindle anger where there was none before, and make it flame higher and higher where it was before.
Verſ. 2. The tongue of the wiſe uſeth knowledge aright, &c.] That is, aptly and ſeaſonably, ſo as may be moſt for the good and profit of thoſe with whom they converſe: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishneſse; ſee the Note chap. 12.23.
Verſ. 4. A wholſome tongue, &c.] That is, A tongue that is in it ſelf ſound, and free from thoſe morall ſickneſſes and diſtempers that are naturally found in the tongues of men, & that doth accordingly utter thoſe things which may be for the good & health of others, (for which ſee the Note chap. 12.18:) is a tree of life; that is, a means of life both to the ſpeaker & the hearers; ſee the Notes chap. 3.18. and 11.30. and 13.12: but perverſneſſe therein is a breach in the ſpirit; that is, the frowardneſſe and wickedneſſe of the tongue doth rather wound then heal the ſpirits of men; it makes a breach in the peace, health, & ſtrength of mens ſpirits, by diſturbing them, by grieving and vexing and angring them; yea many times by corrupting them it is a means of deſtroying their ſouls: and ſo likewiſe this may be extended alſo to the diſturbance that wicked mens tongues do make in their own ſpirits, both in regard of the anguiſh which thereby they bring upon their conſciences, and the pollution and diſpoſedneſſe to farther ſin which they work in their hearts.
Verſ. 6. In the houſe of the righteous is much treaſure, &c.] To wit, becauſe Gods bleſſing is upon them, both to encreaſe …hat they have already gotten in an honeſt way, & to preſerve it to them & theirs, ſo that they and their children after them enjoy it with much quiet & comfort; yea beſides, when the righteous hath but a little, no more it may be then a little houſe to hide his head in, yet this is indeed better then the treaſures of the wicked, ſee the Note Pſal. 37.16: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble; that is, by reaſon of many troubles, many miſeries, croſſes and calamities which God brings upon them, their revenues do uſually waſte away & come to nothing; or, if they leave any thing behind them, their children or kindred do uſually quarrel & contend about it. To which may be added alſo, that the wicked, whether they have much or little, are never free from inward perplexity & trouble; partly through the unſatiableneſſe of their covetous deſires, and their toiling & afflicting themſelves to get riches; partly through their continuall vexing fears & cares for the keeping of what they have, and the terrours of conſcience they endure for what they have gotten unjuſtly, and the apprehenſion they have or Gods diſpleaſure againſt them for their wickedneſſe in generall; and partly through their fretting and vexing for every loſſe that befalls them, they ſcarce ever enjoy what they have with any quiet or comfort.
Verſ. 7. The lips of the wiſe diſperſe knowledge, &c.] To wit, as the ſeeds-man ſcatters his ſeed: they do what they can to impart unto many that knowledge which they have ſtored up in their own hearts, ſtudying within themſelves how they may impart it with moſt advantage to others: which laſt is implyed in the following oppoſite clauſe, but the heart of the foolish doth not ſo; that is, whatever they may pretend, their hearts being void of true knowledge, they neither can diſperſe knowledge with their lips, nor do they care or ever think to doe it; it is only vanity and wickedneſſe which their lips can diſperſe.
Verſ. 8. The ſacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord; but the prayer of the upright is his delight.] Both ſacrifices and prayers, & conſequently all outward duties of Gods worſhip & ſervice, are to be underſtood in both clauſes: But yet the prayers of the righteous are ſaid to be Gods delight, and the ſacrifices of the wicked to be an abomination, to imply, that the ſervices of the godly are accepted of God, though there be not therein that coſt beſtowed, that ſolemnity and pomp as is in wicked mens ſacrifices, and which therefore are the only thing for which they hope to be accepted of God.
Verſ. 9. The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, &c.] To wit, becauſe the waies that he followeth are waies of wickedneſſe. And ſo this may be added as a reaſon of the foregoing Proverb; God therefore hateth the religious ſervices of wicked men, becauſe he abhors the wickedneſſe of their converſation. Yet by the way of the wicked here may be meant all the wicked mans actions, whether naturall, civill or morall, becauſe the wicked man being under Gods wrath, nothing that he doeth can pleaſe him. But he loveth him that followeth after righteouſneſſe; that is, that ſtriveth with all his might, even againſt the ſtream of his corrupt nature, to doe only that which is righteous, though he cannot attain to doe it as he deſires. And thus as in the foregoing Proverb he compared the wicked and the righteous together in regard of their religious ſervices, ſo here he compares them together in regard of all other the actions of their lives; ſhewing that the ſincere deſires and endeavours of the righteous, though full of weakneſſe, are accepted of God, whereas all the actions of the wicked, even thoſe that may ſeem moſt ſplendid and glorious, are an abomination to him.
Verſ. 10. Correction is grievous to him that forſaketh the way, &c.] Some would have the meaning of theſe words to be this; that grievous correction is prepared of God for thoſe, & ſhall certainly befall thoſe, that forſake the way, that is, the right way, the way preſcribed by the word of God. But according to our Tranſlation (whether we read it as it is in our Bibles, Correction is grievous, &c. or, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, Inſtruction is grievous unto him that forſaketh the way) the meaning of the words is clearly this; that inſtruction or correction is irkſome and diſpleaſing to him that chuſeth the way of ſin, rather then the right way of holineſs, or, that having gone on a while in the right way, doth afterward forſake it, & turn aſide into falſe wicked waies; & that becauſe reproofs and correction are diſpleaſing in themſelves to mans corrupt nature, and becauſe men of an evil life cannot endure thoſe that goe about to take them off from thoſe waies that are ſo pleaſing to fleſh and bloud, & do account the ſtrict waies of holineſſe a very bondage to them. And he that hateth reproof shall die; that is, he ſhall be cut off here in a way of wrath, & ſhall die eternally hereafter. And the drift of Solomons joyning theſe two together ſeems to be, either 1. to imply the difference between thoſe that are troubled at reproof & correction, and thoſe that hate it; correction may be diſpleaſing to men, and yet afterwards it may doe them good, but they that hate reproof ſhall certainly periſh: or 2. rather to imply the ſad effect that follows diſcontent againſt inſtruction or correction; naturally men are diſpleaſed with thoſe men that thus ſeek their good, but they that doe thus are in the ready way to deſtruction, becauſe he that hateth reproof shall ſurely die.
Verſ. 11. Hell and deſtruction are before the Lord, &c.] See the Note Job. 26.6: how much more then the hearts of the children of men? Now this muſt not be ſo taken, as if it were eaſier for God to know ſome things, then it is to know other things. Only Solomon here ſpeaks of God after the manner of men, to whom it muſt needs ſeem harder to know the ſtate of the dead and hell, then the hearts and thoughts of men; both becauſe hel and deſtruction are farther off, & though the hearts of men are deep, yet not ſo deep as hell; and likewiſe becauſe men may by outward diſcoveries gueſſe ſhrewdly at the thoughts of mens hearts, whereas of hell and the ſtate of the dead men know nothing at all but only by faith, ſo farre as any thing thereof is revealed in the Word.
Ver. 13. A merry heart maketh a chearful countenance, &c.] That is, A chearfull heart, eſpecially when it is ſo upon ſpirituall grounds, doth uſually make the whole body healthfull & vigorous, refreſheth the ſpirits, & ſo conſequently alſo it makes the countenance in particular freſh, lightſome & chearfull: but by ſorrow of the heart, that is, by carnall & immoderate ſorrow, the ſpirit is broken: that is, either 1. the mind of a man will be afflicted & dejected, the underſtanding and memory weakned, or elſe 2. the vitall ſpirits will be dulled, which cauſeth frequent ſighs and groans, and often brings men to ſuch extremities that they can hardly draw their breath; and ſo conſequently alſo the countenance is hereby made cloudy and ſad. And thus God ſpeaks here to us, to perſwade us to take heed of ſuch ſorrow, as tender mothers are wont to ſpeak to their children, telling them they will marre their faces with crying.
Verſ. 14. The heart of him that hath underſtanding ſeeketh knowledge, &c.] That is, A man that hath underſtanding ſeeketh knowledge with all his heart, even as a hungry man ſeeketh meat: which is implyed in the following clauſe, but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishneſse; that is, their hearts delight it and greedily devoure all kind of fooliſhneſſe & wickedneſſe, as it were with open mouth; it is as meat and drink to them to ſatisfy their luſts, & to doe any thing that is ſinfull and wicked; for which ſee the Notes chap. 4.17. and Job 15.16. They love to ſpeak fooliſhly & vainly; ſuch language and ſpeeches are continually in their mouths, as if they fed and lived upon them: & greedy they are to hear the talk of fools, it is as delightfull to them as their food; and indeed it nouriſheth their folly in them.
Verſ. 15. All the daies of the afflicted are evil, &c.] By the afflicted here moſt Expoſitours underſtand the man that is not contented with his eſtate; all whoſe days muſt needs be evil, that is, grievous, tedious & irkſome to him, becauſe he is continually fretting, & ſo can neither eat, nor ſleep, nor follow the labours of his calling with any quiet, nor take any joy in any thing, whatſoever: and ſo likewiſe in the following clauſe, but he that is of a merry heart hath a continuall feast, by the man of a merry heart they underſtand the man that is contented with his condition, becauſe contentation, be a man poor or rich, muſt needs yield continuall delight & refreſhing to him. But I ſee no reaſon why we ſhould not take it more generally, thus, All the daies of the afflicted are evil, that is, as long as men lye under any heavy affliction, whether poverty or ſickneſſe, &c. or inward anguiſh and trouble of mind, they ſcarce enjoy a comfortable houre, which makes their lives bitter to them: but he that is of a merry heart, to wit, eſpecially if it proceed from a good conſcience, and aſſurance of Gods love in Chriſt, hath a continuall feaſt; that is, he hath that which will chear him up in the midſt of his afflictions and ſorrows, and that will be as a feaſt to him, when he perhaps hath not ſo much as bread to eat.
Verſ. 16. Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, &c.] Which is of it ſelf the greateſt of treaſures, and cauſeth men to enjoy that which they have with much peace & comfort: then great treaſure, and trouble therewith; to wit, as it is uſually with thoſe that fear not the Lord, who have commonly the more trouble the greater their wealth is, either by reaſon of their fear of looſing what they have, or their continuall toll & vexing cares about the preſerving & ordering and encreaſing their eſtates, or by reaſon of their terrous of conſcience for their wickedneſſe, & particularly for the unjuſt waies whereby they have raiſed their eſtates, and the clamours & outcries of thoſe that have been oppreſſed by them, or becauſe of the ſtrife and contention and ſuits at law, which do uſually attend great eſtates.
Verſ. 17. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, then a ſtalled ox, and hatred therewith.] This may be meant of the love or hatred, either of him that invites men to his table, or of thoſe that ſit at table together either at home or abroad, eſpecially when mens hatred breaks forth in ſtrife, brawling & fighting together. Yea it may be meant alſo of the love and hatred of God, to wit, that the courſeſt fare with Gods love, is better then the greateſt dainties given by God in hatred.
Verſ. 18. A wrathfull man ſtirreth up ſtrife, &c.] See the Note above verſ. 1: but he that is ſlow to anger appeaſeth ſtrife; to wit, not only by his readineſſe to reconcile others that are at variance, but alſo by his own backwardneſſe to take exceptions cauſeleſſely, and by his patience, and wiſe and gentle anſwers and carriage, when he is really injured.
Verſ. 19. The way of the ſlothfull man, &c.] That is, The way wherein the ſlothfull man is to go, is as an hedge of thorns, that is, as a way that is hedged up with a hedge of thorns; he apprehends it impoſſible that he ſhould ever get through it: or, as a path overgrown like a hedge with thorns & briars; that is, he conceits it to be full of difficulties and dangers. Now this may be meant either 1. of any commendable work which ſuch an one is to undertake, to wit, that he is ſtill ready to fancy ſo many dangers & difficulties in it, that either he concludes that he ſhall never effect it, and ſo gives it over; or elſe through mere ſloth it is ſo tedious & troubleſome to him, that he goes on but creepingly, & makes no riddance of his work: or elſe 2. of the way of holineſſe & righteouſneſſe preſcribed in Gods word, to wit, that every ſlothfull wicked man doth either apprehend this way not only hard, but impoſſible to be gone, and ſo altogether declines it; or elſe judgeth it a rough and dangerous & troubleſome way, wherein a man muſt goe as it were amongſt thorns, and ſo it is alwaies tedious and irkſome to him to do any th…g that God requires him. And ſo likewiſe for the following clauſe, but the way of the righteous, that is, the upright man, who is alwaies conſcionably diligent in every good work …e undertakes, it made plain, or, as it is in the Hebrew, is raiſed up as a cauſey; that is, it is to him as a plain, eaſie, commodious way; he goes luſtily and chearfully on in any work he undertakes, there being nothing hard to a willing mind. And ſo for the way of piety & righteouſneſſe, he finds no rub therein, nothing that is ſo hard and uneaſy, nothing that doth offend and beat him off from it; through faith in Gods aſſiſtance and the encouragement of his hope of eternall glory, he ſticks not at any difficulties or troubles therein, he proceeds therein vigorouſly, and with much content and delight.
Verſ. 20. A wiſe ſon maketh a glad father, &c.] To wit, as by other things, ſo alſo particularly by his obedience & dutifull behaviour towards him: but a foolish ſon deſpiſeth his mother, and ſo is a cauſe of much ſorrow to her. But ſee the Note chap. 10.1.
Verſ. 21. Folly is joy to him that is deſtitute of wiſdome; but a man of underſtanding walketh uprightly.] That is, As fools rejoycing in evil do live wickedly, ſee the Note chap. 10.23; ſo wiſe men rejoycing in goodneſſe do live uprightly.
Verſ. 22. Without counſell purpoſes are diſappointed, &c.] That is, When men in difficult and doubtfull caſes will truſt to their own wiſdome, and will not take counſell of others, how to bring their purpoſes to effect, they uſually come to nothing; either becauſe apprehending ſome danger, and being unable to ſatisfy themſelves therein, they give over their purpoſes, or becauſe not taking a right courſe, they fail of effecting what they intended: but in the multitude of counſellors, that is, of good counſellors, (for they only deſerve the name of counſellors) they are eſtabliſhed, that is, both the men are encouraged to hold on in their good purpoſes, and their purpoſes are executed with good ſucceſſe.
Verſ. 23. A man hath joy by the anſwer of his mouth, &c.] This may be added with reference to that which was ſaid in the foregoing Proverb concerning the benefit of asking counſell of others; and ſo the meaning of it ſeems to be this: that it is a great comfort to any man, when he hath been able to give any one good counſell, and to expreſſe himſelf in good tearms; or rather, when he perceives that the anſwer that he hath given to thoſe that have asked his counſell hath proved well, when it hath been for the glory of God, and the good of his brethren, and that thereupon it hath been to them very acceptable. And the drift of this may be to ſhew, for the encouragement of thoſe that are to ask advice, that giving counſell to men is a thing that moſt men do naturally delight in. Or elſe we may take this Proverb in a more generall ſenſe; to wit, that gracious ſpeech doth alwaies yield joy and comfort ſooner or later to him that uttereth it. And accordingly we muſt underſtand the following clauſe, & a word ſpoken in due ſeaſon how good is it? that is, counſell and inſtruction, & comfort given in a time of need, all circumſtances, both of perſon, place and time, being duly obſerved, is very profitable and delightfull both to them to whom it is given, and to him that gives it.
Verſ. 24. The way of life is above to the wiſe, &c.] That is, The way which he takes here in this world, that he may attain life eternall, is to be ever minding and ſeeking after thoſe things that are above, the favour of God, and heavenly glory; and accordingly he hath his converſation in heaven, even whilſt he lives here below, ſee Phil. 3.20. Col. 3.1. he minds not earthly things comparatively: yea even in his worldly buſineſſes he goeth a higher way then others, becauſe even thoſe things he doth in faith and obedience to God, and ſo he is alwaies paſſing on heavenward: and though his way, being thus above, is hard & difficult, as when men are climbing up hill, yet he holds on, and is ſtill aſcending higher & higher in it: the reaſon whereof is ſhewn in the following clauſe, that he may depart from hell beneath; that is, that he may eſcape deſtruction, and avoid the pit of hell, to which a ſenſuall courſe of life will certainly bring men, and whereto earthly-mindedneſſe doth as in a way downhill carry men headlong continually. That which I conceive therefore is chiefely implyed in this proverb is this, that though earthly-minded men think the intending of earthly things the only wiſdome, becauſe thereby men become great & glorious here; yet they that are truly wiſe do rather look after thoſe things that are above, becauſe thereby they know they ſhall eſcape hell, and attain life eternall hereafter.
Verſ. 25. The Lord will deſtroy the houſe of the proud, &c.] As namely all proud oppreſſors of the poor, though they be never ſo mighty, and highly conceited of their own ſecurity; ſee the Notes alſo chap. 12.7. and 11: but he will eſtablish the border of the widow; that is, he will ſecure the eſtates of thoſe that are poor and helpleſſe▪ and withall humble, and not ſuffer any man in the leaſt to encroach upon any thing that is theirs.
Verſ. 26. The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, &c.] And conſequently alſo his wicked words that flow from thence: but the words of the pure are pleaſant words; that is, delightfull & pleaſing to God, as are likewiſe his thoughts from whence they proceed.
Verſ. 27. He that is greedy of gain, &c.] And thereupon ſticks not at taking bribes, mentioned in the following oppoſite clauſe, or any other ſinfull way of enriching himſelf; ſee the Note chap. 1.19; Or he that is covetouſly greedy after gain, though he gains nothing thereby, nor ſeeks it by any unjuſt waies: troubleth his own houſe; that is, he ſhall not only die himſelf, (which is intimated in the following clauſe) to wit, by deſtruction from God, or by waſting his own life with vexing cares, pinching himſelf in things neceſſary, and immoderate grief when he looſeth any thing, if not by laying violent hands in ſuch caſes upon himſelf; but alſo troubleth his own eſtate, houſe and family: to wit, either 1. by his oppreſſing them with too much labour, and withholding things neceſſary from them, & by continuall quarrelling with them about theſe things; or 2. by expoſing himſelf & his to many miſeries, whether by the puniſhments that men inflict on him, which tend to the ruine of his eſtate and family, and to the confuſion of thoſe of his houſhold, or the judgements that God brings upon them▪ ſee the Notes chap. 11.17, 29. & Jobs 15.34. And thus whilſt ſuch a man aims at enriching himſelf greatly, or at leaſt that he himſelf may have wherewith to live in the world, it proves quite contrary to what he intended. But he that hateth gifts shall live; that is, he that is not greedy of gain, & therefore not only taketh no bribes, but abhors the taking of them, though he will not uſe any ſuch unlawfull means to get a livelyhood for himſelf, but is content to reſt upon God in an honeſt way, yet ſhall his family be in a peaceable and quiet condition, and he himſelf ſhall live long and comfortably here, and eternally hereafter.
Verſ. 28. The heart of the righteous ſtudieth to anſwer, &c.] That is, A righteous man will not ſpeak any thing raſhly out of any corrupt paſſion, but weighs before-hand what he means to ſpeak, and ſo doth uſually ſpeak nothing but what is good & profitable, and ſeaſonable to be ſpoken: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things; that is, wicked and hurtfull things, without ever thinking beforehand of what he means to ſpeak; even as a man that ſpeweth poureth out his vomit, or as the ſea caſts forth mire and dirt. See the Note above chap. 12.23.
Verſ. 30. The light of the eyes rejoyceth the heart, and a good report maketh the bones fat.] That is, As the light which men behold with their eyes, or thoſe pleaſant things which they behold by the light of their eyes, revive their ſpirits, and rejoyce their hearts; ſo a good report, that is, the having a good report amongſt men, or the hearing good news & glad tidings (which is moſt true of the glad tidings of the Goſpel) maketh the bones fat, that is, it rejoyceth the heart, & ſo maketh the body of a man healthfull and ſtrong; ſee the Note chap. 14.30. Solomon doth here compare the two chief ſenſes of ſeeing & hearing together: and his drift is to ſhew, either that both of them do affect the mind with joy, and ſo the body with health; or elſe, that though both work powerfully upon men, yet the efficacy of what we hear is greater then of that we ſee: the joy which the light of the eyes worketh in the heart ſoon paſſeth away; but that which a good report worketh in men, becauſe it is grounded upon things moſt profitable, doth ſo affect the inward parts, that it mightily refreſheth and ſtrengtheneth the very bodies of men.
Verſ. 31. The ear that heareth the reproof of life, &c.] That is, The man that willingly hearkneth to and obeyeth wholſome life-giving reproofs, that tend to the reforming of mens lives, & to bring men to life eternall hereafter, abideth among the wiſe: that is, either 1. he ſheweth himſelf hereby to be a wiſe man; or 2. he ſhall hereby attain wiſdome, ſo that he ſhall in time come to be numbred amongſt the wiſeſt of men, & ſhall be honoured and eſteemed amongſt them, & enjoy their ſociety; or 3. he ſhall by degrees come to be of the number of thoſe that for their eminent wiſdome are advanced to places of honour in Church & common-wealth, it may be to be Teachers & inſtructers of others; or 4. he ſhall in Gods kingdome of glory live for ever amongſt thoſe concerning whom it is ſaid Dan. 12.3. they that be wiſe shall shine as the brightneſse of the firmament; or 5. he will chuſe to abide amongſt them that he may be reproved; he will familiarly converſe with them, and by his good will would dwell alwaies amongſt them. And this laſt indeed I like the beſt.
Verſ. 32. He that refuſeth instruction deſpiſeth his own ſoul, &c.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, whilſt he ſeems to deſpiſe his inſtructer, and to count it an honour not to be under a teacher, the truth is, he deſpiſeth his own ſoul, and doth wilfully, as it were, caſt it away and deſtroy it: but he that heareth (or, obeyeth) reproof, getteth underſtanding. It is in the Hebrew, poſseſſeth an heart, that is, he hath power over his own heart, and can over-rule his affections, in that he can ſubmit himſelf to be guided by others, which is a great evidence of wiſdome; or rather, he hath an heart, he is not a man that is excors, a heartleſſe man, void of reaſon & judgement, but he is an underſtanding man.
Verſ. 33. The fear of the Lord is the inſtruction of wiſdome, &c.] That is, That which the inſtruction of wiſdome doth chiefly teach, is the fear of the Lord; or, To be taught to fear God is that inſtruction or doctrine that doth indeed teach men true wiſdome; ſee the Notes chap. 1.7. and Job 28.28: and before honour is humility; that is, before that glory which is attained by wiſdome goeth that humility which makes men ſubmit to reproof or correction; or rather, before honour, whether that of earthly preferments, or that of heavenly glory, is humility, to wit, that which in men proceedeth from the ſenſe of their corruptions and the apprehenſion of their own unworthineſſe. And then the joyning of theſe two clauſes thus together may ſeem to imply, that the fear of the Lord goeth before true wiſdome, even as humility goeth before honour. See the Note Job 22.29.