Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Proverbs · Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
Verſ. 1. WHen thou ſitteſt to eat with a ruler, conſider diligently what is before thee.] That is, what plenty and variety there is of dainty mea…s and delicious wines, and how dangerous they are to entangle men unawares, (whence it is that they are called afterwards verſ. 3. deceitfull meat) and to draw them to exceſſe in eating and drinking, whilſt they will be taſting of every diſh, and ſipping at every cup, and ſo conſequently to make them in their jollity to ſpeak or doe ſomething that may turn to their prejudice; and that the rather, becauſe great men are often wont to make uſe of their feaſts, as ſnares to entangle men in this regard, to make them in their drink and heat of bloud to utter thoſe things which they would not otherwiſe diſcover. I know many Expoſitours extend theſe words to the conſideration of the perſons preſent, the Ruler and others, and ſome to the well weighing of any queſtions that ſhall then be propounded; and ſo take them to be a warning, that he that is called to be a gueſt at a great mans table ſhould be carefull, that he did no way carry himſelf rudely, uncivilly and unmannerly, no otherwiſe then if he were at home at his own table; or, that he ſhould take heed, that when any queſtions were propounded, he ſpake nothing raſhly and fooliſhly. But the firſt expoſition is clearly the beſt, as the following words do manifeſt.
Verſ. 2. And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.] That is, one that naturally loveſt dainties, and art very inclinable to glut thy ſelf with them. And by thoſe words, put a knife to thy throat, is meant, that ſuch a man ſhould reſtrain himſelf from all exceſſe in eating and drinking: only this expreſſion ſeems withall to imply, either firſt, that he ſhould force himſelf to forbear by mortifying his unruly appetite, that he might be no more able to run on in filling himſelf, then if there were a knife ſtuck in his throat: or 2. that though this bridling of his appetite were never ſo troubleſome & irkſome to him, as grievous in a manner to him as if he were to cut his own throat, yet he muſt doe it; and that becauſe it were better, if any ſuch neceſſity could be conceived, that a mans throat ſhould be cut, then that he ſhould …ſh headlong into the miſeries which his gluttony & drunkenneſſe would bring upon him: and ſo the drift of theſe words is much the ſame with that of our Saviours words, Matth. 5.29, 30. If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and caſt it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into bell, &c. where the meaning is only, that though the abandoning of any thing that is an occaſion of ſin, ſhould be as grievous to us as the pulling out our eyes, or the cutting off our right hands; yet we muſt abandon them: or 3. that he ſhould reſtrain his inordinate appetite, by thinking with himſelf of the danger his exceſſe is like to bring him into; partly in regard of the divers deadly diſeaſes it is like to bring upon men, partly in regard of the ſlipperineſſe of their tongues in ſuch a caſe, to utter thoſe things that may provoke the ruler to diſpleaſure, or otherwiſe hazard their lives, and chiefly becauſe their exceſſe is like to bring their ſouls to eternall damnation; their knives upon the table are like to be more miſchievous to them then a knife in their throats would be. And therefore by thinking of theſe things, as by a knife put to their throats, it is fit that men ſhould endeavour to keep themſelves from exceſſe.
Verſ. 3. Be not deſirous of his dainties, for they are deceitfull meat.] To wit, 1. becauſe when great perſons do invite meaner men to their tables, they doe it uſually with a purpoſe ſome way to enſnare or deceive them; they doe it not out of love, as they pretend, but with an aim to bring them to utter thoſe things, when they have drunk well and are frolick, which at another time they would never have ſpoken, or ſome other way to entrap them, & to bring their own purpoſes about: 2. becauſe men are uſually therein deceived, that they think great men are willing they ſhould eat freely of the plentifull proviſion that is ſet before them; whereas indeed they grudge them what they eat, as is expreſſed more fully afterwards verſ. 6.7: 3ly, becauſe the delight men take in ſuch dainties doth unawares draw them into intemperance and exceſſe, which proves at laſt the cauſe of much miſchief to them: and 4. becauſe court-entertainment & familiarity is many times unſtable, and ſo they that entertain great hopes upon that ground, are uſually deceived of their hopes. But now under this one particular of eating at great mens tables, Solomon intends to imply the danger of all converſing with great men in any way whatſoever, and that men had need to be wiſely watchfull over themſelves, and to bridle their affections, when they have to deal with great perſonages in any thing whatſoever: & that becauſe the friendſhip of ſuch men is deceitfull; it yields not that content uſually that men expect in it, but on the other ſide it brings many vexations with it, and is many waies dangerous. Many ſeeking hereby to advance themſelves, have ruinated their eſtates, and utterly overthrown their poſterity.
Verſ. 4. Labour not to be rich, &c.] Riches are the good bleſſing of God; and therefore may be deſired, if it be only ſo far as it may be for Gods glory, and our good: but abſolutely to deſire to be rich, and to ſet our heart upon it, and thereupon to overtoil our bodies, and to afflict and perplex our ſpirits in ſeeking to get riches, this is that which is here forbidden. Men muſt labour in their callings, in obedience to Gods command, and that they may have wherewith to live comfortably, and if God ſend in abundance, accept it thankfully; but for men abſolutely to make it their aim to be rich, & ſo thereupon to make drudges of themſelves, and violently to purſue riches, as if they thought by their toiling ſuddenly to enrich themſelves whether God would or no, that is no way warrantable. Ceaſe from thine own wiſdome; which will perſwade thee that a mans happineſſe conſiſts in being rich, and will prompt thee to ſtrive after this by all means, though never ſo unlawfull.
Verſ. 5. Wilt thou ſet thine eyes upon that which is not?] That is, Wilt thou eagerly look and ſeek after, & ſet thine heart upon that which hath no ſolid ſubſtance in it, (however men are wont vainly to call their riches their ſubſtance) that which in true judgement is nothing worth, & for the having whereof men are nothing the better? or, that which is not, that is, which it may be will not be had, becauſe thoſe that eagerly ſeek after riches many times cannot attain them; whereas God frequently beſtows them in abundance upon thoſe that mind them not? or, that which when a man hath gotten, will uſually be gone on a ſudden? And if we thus underſtand this clauſe, then the following words are added by way of explaining theſe ((whereas otherwiſe they may be taken as a ſecond reaſon againſt their▪ ordinate deſire of riches:) for riches certainly make themſelves wings, they fly away; that is, the man that labours to get them cannot attain them, or, when a man hath gotten them, they will vaniſh away in an inſtant: as an eagle towards heaven, that is, as an eagle flyeth towards heaven; or, if theſe words alſo be meant of riches, we muſt underſtand them thus, that riches will be gone beyond all poſſibility of getting them or recovering them again. The firſt clauſe is in the Hebrew, Wilt thou cauſe thine eies to flee upon that which is not? which expreſſion ſeems to have reference to that which followeth concerning riches ſleeing away as an eagle, and ſo may imply, that though in their deſires men flie after riches with never ſo much eagerneſſe, they will be too ſwift for them, and how vain a thing it is for men to gape after riches, even as if a man ſhould with earneſt deſires look after ſome fowle, which is upon the wing, and in the twinckling of an eye is gotten out of his ſight: and therefore it is too that the eagle is mentioned, becauſe no fowle flyeth ſo high or ſo ſwift as an eagle.
Verſ. 6. Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye.] That is, of an envious man, according to that Matth. 20.15. Is thine eye evil, becauſe I am good? or rather, of a ſordid covetous miſer, that doth envy thee and grudge thee every bit of meat that thou eateſt; for ſo on the contrary the liberall man was before ſaid to have a good or a bountifull eye, chap. 22.9.
Verſ. 7. For as he thinketh in his heart, ſo is he, &c.] That is, he is not to be eſteemed according to what in his words and his outward deportment he would pretend himſelf to be, to wit, one that loves thee, and to whom thou art truly welcome; but according to what he thinketh in his heart, as namely, that he is a diſſembling miſerly churle, that grudgeth at thy eating of that which he ſets before thee, as is expreſſed in the following clauſe, Eat and drink, ſaith he to thee, but his heart is not with thee.
Verſ. 8. The morſell which thou haſt eaten shalt thou vomit up, &c.] Some underſtand this literally, that by reaſon of ſome unwholſome meat which the envious man doth often ſet before his gueſts, or by reaſon of his drawing them with a miſchievous intention to overlade their ſtomacks with his meat or drink, his gueſts ſhould vomit up what they had eaten, and ſo alſo ſhould be diſabled from ſpeaking ſo wiſely and acceptably to thoſe that were preſent, as otherwiſe they might have done; which they think is intended in the next clauſe, and loſe thy ſweet words. But by the common conſent of moſt Expoſitours, the meaning is rather this: The morſell which thou haſt eaten shalt thou vomit up; that is, By ſome ſnare wherewith he will entrap thee, or ſome miſchief he will afterwards doe thee, he will make thee pay dearly for what thou haſt eaten; or rather, When thou ſhalt perceive either by ſome diſtaſtfull ſpeeches given thee, or by ſome other means, that he grudged to ſee thee eat his meat, thou ſhalt be ſo inwardly vexed and grieved, that thy meat ſhall doe thee no good, and in that regard it ſhall be all one to thee, as if thou hadſt vomited it up again; or, thou ſhalt even loath that very meat of his which thou haſt eaten, and repent that ever thou didſt eat it, and wiſh thou couldeſt vomit it up again: And loſe thy ſweet words; that is, all the ſweet gloſing words wherewith he welcomed thee, &c. all the content thou didſt take therein ſhall be then loſt, they ſhall doe thee no good, but rather thou ſhalt be vexed exceedingly, that thou wert ſo befooled by his diſſembling language; or, thou ſhalt loſe thy ſweet words, that is, all the flattering language thou gaveſt him, or all the courteous, ſweet, complementall words thou ſpakeſt to him, by way of praiſing his good chear, or acknowledging his love, and returning him many thanks for his kind entertainment, or any good or pleaſant diſcourſe wherewith thou ſoughteſt to delight him or his gueſts, whilſt thou wert at his table: all which ſhall be as loſt, either becauſe the covetous churle took no delight in them, whilſt he grudged at him for eating up his victuals, or becauſe the man that ſpake them, when he comes to diſcover the ſordid diſſembling of his hoſt that entertained him, ſhall be fretted that ever he ſpake them, and ſhall wiſh that he had never ſpoken them.
Verſ. 9. Speak not in the ears of a fool; for he will deſpiſe the wiſdome of thy words.] To wit, out of ignorance or profaneneſſe; ſee the Notes chap. 9.7, 8. But yet this phraſe of ſpeaking in the ear, may ſeem to imply, that this is meant only of private admonition or reproof.
Verſ. 10. Remove not the old land-mark, and enter not into the fields of the fatherleſſe.] To wit, neither by ſeizing upon their lands and eſtate unjuſtly, nor by any encroachment, through removing their land-marks, nor by breaking violently into them any other way to doe them any damage.
Verſ. 11. For their redeemer is mighty, &c.] See the Note Job 19.25: he shall plead their cauſe with thee; ſee the Note chap. 22.23.
Verſ. 13. Withhold not correction from the child, &c.] That is, neither omit it thy ſelf, nor reſtrain others from doing it, to whom it belongs; ſee the Notes alſo chap. 13.24. & 19.18: for if thou beat him with the rod, he shall not die; that is, ſuch moderate correction will not be his death, to wit, neither at the preſent, (for a rod will break no bones) nor yet by degrees, by grieving or weakening him, and bringing him into a conſumption: or, he shall not die, that is, this will preſerve him both from being cut off by untimely death, as cocker'd children for their wickedneſſe many times are, and likewiſe from eternall death, as is more fully expreſſed in the following verſe.
Verſ. 14. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his ſoul from hell.] This laſt clauſe may be taken not only as a promiſe, but alſo as a precept.
Verſ. 15. My ſon, if thine heart be wiſe, my heart shall rejoyce, even mine.] That is, not only ſhall this yield joy to thine own heart, but to mine alſo, by whoſe inſtruction this hath been wrought, and who for the love I bear thee cannot but rejoyce in thy good.
Verſ. 16. Yea my reins shall rejoyce, &c.] That is, All the inward parts of my body ſhall be affected with my joy: when thy lips ſpeak right things; that is, when thou becomeſt able thereby to inſtruct others: or, when thy ſpeech is pious and every way right: which is therefore particularly mentioned, becauſe this is the higheſt proof of true wiſdome in the heart; If any man offend not in word, the ſame is a perfect man, Jam. 3.2.
Verſ. 17. Let not thine heart envy ſinners, &c.] See the Notes Pſal. 37.1, 3: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long; that is, continually and conſtantly, even then when it fares beſt with the wicked, and worſt with thy ſelf and others that live holily and righteouſly. Now the fear of the Lord is here required in oppoſition to the fault of envying ſinners, either to ſhew that in ſtead of deſiring to walk in their waies, that we may be ſharers with them in their proſperous eſtate, it is our duty to be conſtant in the waies of well-doing; or elſe becauſe the fear of the Lord w…ll cauſe men to mortify this baſe luſt of envy, it will curb men from murmuring againſt the ſecret judgements of God, it will pull down mens pride, and make them contented with a mean condition, it will teach men to put their truſt and confidence in God, and to look upon wicked men in their greateſt proſperity as men that are to be pittied rather then envied.
Verſ. 18. For ſurely there is an end, &c.] To wit, of the proſperity of the wicked; God hath ſet a period to their flouriſhing eſtate, it ſhall not alwaies, yet it ſhall not long continue; ſee the Note Pſal. 37, 38: or, there ſhall be an end of thy oppreſſion, affliction, and miſery: or, there ſhall be an end of thy patience and hope; thou ſhalt not alwaies in a poor oppreſſed eſtate wait for better daies; that which God hath promiſed as the end and reward of piety, ſhall be at laſt made good to thee: which agrees with that of David, Pſal. 37.37. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace; & that of the Apoſtle Jam. 5.11. Ye have heard of the patience of Iob, and have ſeen the end of the Lord. And thence it is that ſome do ſo render this firſt clauſe, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, for ſurely there is a reward. And if thus we underſtand theſe words, then is the ſame in effect repeated in the next clauſe, and thine expectation shall not be cut off; that is, thou ſhalt be ſupported with hope to the laſt, & the hope which thou haſt of a reward of thy piety, far above any thing which the wicked enjoy, ſhall not be fruſtrate. Yet it may be underſtood of the godly mans expectation, that the proſperity of the wicked ſhall come to an end, to wit, that he ſhall not be deceived in that his expectation.
Verſ. 19. Hear thou, my ſon, &c.] See the Note chap. 1.8: and be wiſe; that is, become wiſe… or ſtudy & endeavour to get wiſdome by thy hearing: & guide thine heart in the way; that is, in all thy courſes, or in that right way wherein thou art taught to goe; follow not the guidance of thine own carnall heart, but cauſe thine heart to follow the guidance of Gods word, wherein are the inſtructions of true wiſdome, that ſo thou maieſt with all thy ſoul walk in the right way.
Verſ. 21. For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; and drowſineſſe shall cloath a man with rags.] That is, idleneſſe, which cauſeth drowſineſſe: ſee the Note chap. 19.15. Yet I conceive it is here expreſſed by drowſineſſe, becauſe drunkenneſſe and gluttony do both make men drowſy.
Verſ. 22. Hearken to thy father that begat thee, &c.] See the Note chap. 1.8: and deſpiſe not thy mother; that is, neither the perſon nor the inſtructions of thy mother: when she is old; as if he ſhould have ſaid, though haply with age ſhe may be grown even childiſh again, or, though being old thou needeſt not fear her correcting of thee, nor canſt hope that ſhe ſhould ſtore up for her children as formerly.
Verſ. 23. Buy the truth, &c.] That is, the knowledge and belief and practiſe of the truth contained in Gods word, according to that Joh. 17.17. Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth; uſe all poſſible means for the gaining of it, ſpare no pains nor coſt, yea rather expoſe thy ſelf to any perill, and to the loſſe of all that is dear to thee, then not get it: and ſell it not; as if he ſhould have ſaid, Whereas merchants buy their precious commodities, that they may ſell them again, doe not thou ſo; be not like Eſau that ſold his birthright for a meſſe of pottage; when thou haſt gotten the truth, forget it not, for any gain or ſinfull pleaſure; deny thy ſelf in all things whatſoever, rather then abandon this precious treaſure.
Verſ. 24. The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoyce, &c.] See the Notes chap. 10.1. and 15.20.
Verſ. 25. She that bare thee shall rejoyce.] As if he had ſaid, and ſo this will be ſome recompence for all the pains and ſorrows ſhe endured in bearing thee in her womb, in bringing thee into the world, in nurſing thee up with ſo much labour and tender care. And ſo alſo there is covertly herein a warning given to young men to beware, that they did not by their wickedneſſe bring many bitter after-throes upon their mothers, even in their old age.
Verſ. 26. My ſon, give me thine heart, &c.] That is, Apply thy heart to learn mine inſtructions, and to obey my precepts; or, which is all one in effect, ſet thine heart upon God only, and upon true wiſdome: for Solomon ſpeaks here as in the name of God, according to that 2 Cor. 5.20. as though God did beſeech you by us, we pray you in Christs ſtead. And then it follows, and let thine eyes obſerve my waies; that is, apply thy whole mind, diligently to mark and obſerve the waies wherein I walk, as a pattern for thee, or, which I preſcribe thee, that thou maieſt heedfully walk in them; leſt wandring from theſe waies, thou falleſt into the ditch or pit mentioned in the following verſe.
Verſ. 27. For a whore is a deep ditch, &c.] To wit, amongſt other reaſons, becauſe whoremongers not only by reaſon of the naſty diſeaſes to which they are ſubject, but alſo by reaſon of the deteſtableneſſe of their ſin, are as loathſome amongſt men, as a man muſt needs be that hath fallen into ſome miry ſtinking ditch: and a ſtrange woman is a narrow pit; ſee the Note chap. 22.14.
Verſ. 28. She alſo lyeth in wait as for a prey, &c.] Or, which is all one in effect, as a robber. The meaning is, that as a robber doth uſually lye lurking in ſome den or wood, and that commonly in the night, that he may get ſome booty, and hath for the moſt his companions as good as himſelf, to help him, and is not content with one booty, but ſeeks to make a prey of many one after another, ſparing none, though he chiefly looks after the richer ſort, and doth uſually bereave travellers not of their money only, but of their lives too; ſo it is with the whoriſh woman in all theſe regards: This night-bird doth uſe all kind of craft, ſecretly to get many men into her power, and thoſe too for the moſt that are of the richer ſort, though ſhe ſpares none, and hath her companions, bawds and panders, to help her; and when ſhe hath gotten them into her power, ſhe maketh a prey of their eſtates, and bereaves them of their health, good names, graces, reaſon and underſtanding, yea their very lives and ſouls. There may be alſo an alluſion in theſe words to the cuſtome of harlots, who were wont to ſit by the high-waies covered with vails, that they might entice men to them, as we may ſee by that which is ſaid of Judah and Thamar, Gen. 38.14, 15. for which ſee the Notes there. And encreaſeth the tranſgreſſours among men; which is as if he had ſaid, Of which, alas, there was no need, there being but too many of that crew already. Now this is ſaid of the whore, partly becauſe ſhe often enticeth other maids and wives into the ſame wickedneſſe; but eſpecially becauſe ſo many men are corrupted by her.
Verſ. 29. Who hath wo? who hath ſorrow? &c.] That is, Who is it that at laſt comes to undergoe manifold miſeries, temporall or eternall, and thereupon to mourn and lament bitterly, with Woe and alas? who hath contentions? who hath babling? who hath wounds without cauſe? that is, wounds and bruiſes, that were not gotten upon a juſt cauſe, as men are wounded in the war, where they have hazarded themſelves for their prince and countrey; but merely by their own folly: as when they have hurt themſelves by dangerous falls; when they and their companions have fallen in their cups into cauſleſſe quarrels about miſtakes or mere trifles; or when they have been beaten for the wrong they have done to others in their wine cauſleſly, & ſometimes merely in deriſion, when they have given no juſt cauſe of offence to thoſe that did it; or when for ſome evil pranks they have committed in their drunken fits, they have been puniſhed by the magiſtrate: who hath redneſſe of eyes? & conſequently many times blindneſſe? Now all theſe queſtions import as much as if Solomon had ſaid, Every man knoweth who theſe men are, to wit, drunkards; and that theſe are the ſad effects of their mer…y meetings.
Verſ. 30. They that tarry long at the wine, they that goe to ſeek mixt wine.] See the Note chap. 9.2.
Verſ. 31. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, &c.] To wit, as being clear, and brisk and lively: when it moveth it ſelf aright; that is, when it boyleth and ſparkleth, and as it were danceth in the glaſſe or cup.
Verſ. 32. At the laſt it biteth like a ſerpent, and ſtingeth like an adder.] Or, a cockatrice. That is, it will fill the body with inſufferable pains & deadly diſeaſes, torture the conſcience, diſturb the mind, & make men mad, & bring upon them ſhame and poverty, &c. yea it will poiſon & deſtroy the ſoul; evils worſe then the venemous biting of a ſerpent, or ſtinging of an adder.
Verſ. 33. Thine eyes shall behold ſtrange women, and thine heart shall utter perverſe things.] That is, Thou ſhalt think, deſire, contrive, and reſolve upon within thy ſelf, or, out of the abundance of thy heart thy mouth ſhall ſpeak, (as indeed drunkards are uſually wont to utter all that is in their hearts) perverſe things, that is, filthy, unclean things; or more generally, thou ſhalt vomit out all kind of wicked ſpeeches, blaſphemies, railings, &c.
Verſ. 34. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lyeth down in the midst of the ſea, &c.] To wit, that lyeth down to ſleep; or as he that lyeth, to wit, ſleeping, upon the top of a maſt. Very probably we may conceive, that as thoſe that in a ſhip are toſſed by a ſtorm at ſea are thereupon compared to a drunken man, Pſal. 107.27. they reel to and fro, and ſ…agger like a drunken man, and are at their wits end; ſo here the drunkard is compared to a man that is tumbled up and down in a ſhip by ſea, becauſe being drowned in drink, this makes him light-headed & ſtagger as he goeth, and troubles his brains with ſuch giddineſſe, that every thing ſeems to him to ſwim or turn round. But becauſe Solomon compares the drunkard to a man that ſleeps in the midſt of the ſea, or upon the top of a maſt, I rather think the meaning of theſe words to be, either 1. that drunkenneſſe maketh mens ſleep troubleſome and unquiet, ſo that they apprehend themſelves to be toſſed up and down as thoſe are that are in a tempeſt in the midſt of the ſea; or 2. which I like far the beſt, that drunkards are in as much danger of periſhing, and yet withall as ignorant, ſecure and fearleſſe of the dangers they are in, as the man is that being in a ſhip that is toſſed with tempeſts in the midſt of the ſea, it may be upon the top of a maſt, is in danger every moment to be caſt away, & ſo far from land, that there is no hope of eſcape by ſwimming, and yet the whilſt lyes faſt aſleep, no way able to doe any thing towards the preſerving of the ſhip he is in from periſhing in the waters, and yet never thinking of the leaſt danger.
Verſ. 35. They have ſtricken me, shalt thou ſay, and I was not ſick, &c.] That is, I cared not for it, I was not much hurt: they have beaten me, and I felt it not; and therefore have no great cauſe to be troubled for it. Now though drunkards will ſometimes thus ſlight the blows they have had given them whilſt they were in their drink, thereby to ſhake off, as it were, the diſgrace of being ſo baſely abuſed; yet it is clear that Solomon here repreſents the ſpeeches of a drunkard, when he is a little come to himſelf, and awakes in the night, though not throughly, but is ſtill half awake & half aſleep, as appears by the following words, when shall I awake? as if he ſhould ſay, the rather becauſe of his drought and thirſt, Oh that it were day! when will it be morning? to wit, that he might return to his cups again, as is expreſſed in the laſt words, I will ſeek it yet again. Yea we may well think that Solomon intended theſe words as the language of their practiſe rather then their lips, and that the drift of them is only to ſet forth the ſtupid blockiſhneſſe of drunkards, that no incoveniences which they undergoe by their drunkenneſſe will beat them off from it.