Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Proverbs · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
Verſ. 1. MY ſon, if thou be ſurety, &c.] Solomon here ſheweth the danger of ſuretiſhip: yet not as condemning all ſuretiſhip whatſoever, (for as it is a work of mercy to lend in ſome caſes, Pſal. 37.26. ſo alſo in ſome caſes it may be to be ſurety for another, as Paul for Oneſimus Philem. 19.) but only raſh ſuretiſhip, when men will unadviſedly engage themſelves for any that deſire it of them, without due conſideration of the perſons for whom they doe it, or of that for which they are engaged, whether it be not more then they are willing or well able to diſcharge, without the ruine or exceeding great prejudice of them & their families, if it ſhould fall upon them. If thou be ſurety for thy friend, if thou hast ſtricken thy hand (ſee the Note Job 17.3.) with a ſtranger; that is, if thou haſt with or for a ſtranger engaged thy ſelf to any man. I know that many by the ſtranger here do underſtand the creditour to whom a man gives his hand, & ſo engageth himſelf for his friend. But I rather conceive that Solomon doth here adviſe men what they ſhould doe in caſe they have been ſureties for another man, whether he were friend or ſtranger.
Verſ. 2. Thou art ſnared with the words of thy mouth, &c.] As if he had ſaid, Though thou hadſt not the money thy ſelf, nor any benefit by it, and before thou didſt undertake as a ſurety, thou wert free whether thou wouldeſt have done it or no; yet having once paſſed thy promiſe, thou art now bound.
Verſ. 3. Do this now, my ſon, and deliver thy ſelf; when thou art come into the hand of thy friend, &c.] By thy friend here may be meant, either the friend for whom a man hath engaged himſelf as a ſurety, into whoſe hands the ſurety may well be ſaid to be fallen, becauſe if he doth not now diſcharge his debt, it will fall heavily upon the ſurety; or elſe it may be meant of the creditour, (for to friends men may be ſureties for others, as well as to ſtrangers,) & then the meaning muſt be this, When thou art fallen into the hands of the creditour, who may take the forfeiture of thy engagement, & bring thee into great troubles, though he be thy friend, & much more if he be a ſtranger, take care to free thy ſelf. And accordingly we muſt underſtand the following words, go, humble thy ſelf; to wit, to him for whom thou art engaged, preſſing him, yea with begging it of him, that he would diſcharge his debt himſelf, & not ſuffer it to fall upon thee; & ſo likewiſe, yea rather, to the creditour, fall down before him, & by all humble deportment & entreaties ſue to him for favour, to wit, that he would not proceed in extremity againſt thee, but that he would forbear thee for ſome time, till thou maieſt bring him to diſcharge the debt, whoſe proper debt it is, or that thou maieſt pay it by little & little, or that he would accept of ſome reaſonable compoſition from thee: and make ſure thy friend; that is, make ſure that thy friend, for whom thou art engaged, do diſcharge his debt, and ſo free thee; or, make ſure that thy friend, to whom thou haſt engaged thy ſelf, may deal favourably with thee.
Verſ. 6. Goe to the ant, thou ſluggard, conſider her waies, and be wiſe.] That is, Be ſo wiſe as to learn of her; or be wiſe according to the wiſdome thou maieſt learn of her. And though there be many things which may be obſerved concerning the induſtry and providence of this poor creature, as that they will carry grains of corn as big as themſelves, & will labour herein by night, when the moon ſhines, as well as by day, that they will, when they diſcern it will be a fair ſeaſon, bring out their corn that hath taken any wet, to dry it in the ſun, that it may be kept ſweet & good (whereupon they ſay that the husband-man concludes it will be fair weather, when he ſees theſe creatures laying out their ſtore a drying) & that they are wont to bite off the end or eye of the grains of corn they gather, where the ſeed uſeth firſt to ſprout forth, that ſo they may not grow with lying in the earth, & many other particulars; yet that which Solomon here intends, at leaſt principally, is that which followeth verſ. 8. that she provideth her meat in the ſummer, and gathereth her food in the harveſt, that ſo in winter ſhe may have whereon to live. However, obſervable it is, that Solomon doth here put up, as it were into the pulpit, this little deſpicable creature, to inſtruct brutiſh men. And ſome think that thoſe words, conſider her waies, are ſpoken with reference to thoſe tracks which are ſometimes made in the very ſtones, by their continuall going up & down.
Ver. 11. So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, &c.] That is, it ſhall come into thine houſe ſpeedily, ſuddēly & unexpectedly, as a Poſt, ſay ſome, or purſevant that rides poſt to apprehend a man, or rather as a gueſt that comes to an houſe unlooked for; or it ſhall overtake him, as a ſwift traveller overtakes one that walks ſlowly; whereby alſo is intimated, that therefore it ſhould be the more grievous to be born: & thy want as an armed mā ; that is, irreſiſtably; for what hope can there be that a ſluggard half a ſleep & half awake ſhould reſiſt an armed man? The drift is, that poverty ſhould ruſh upon him as an armed robber, or as ſouldiers that break in upon a houſe and plunder it, ſcarce leaving any thing behind them.
Verſ. 12. A wicked man walketh with a froward mouth.] That is, it is his conſtant courſe to talk perverſly & wickedly. And though the moſt of Expoſitours underſtand this particularly of the wicked mans lying & diſſembling, yet I rather underſtand it of all wicked ſpeaking whatſoever; for whatever it is wherein men do perverſly croſſe God in what he requires of us, that the Scripture cals frowardneſſe. See the Notes 2 Sam. 22.27. and Job 5.15.
Ver. 13. He winketh with his eyes, he ſpeaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers.] As if he had ſaid, So eager he is to utter the miſchief that is in his heart, that if he be in company where he dares not ſpeak openly, yet by ſome privy ſign or other he will make known his mind in a manner with all the parts of his body, as by winking with his eyes, or by ſtamping with his feet, or by the holding up of his fingers, &c. Moſt Expoſitours, I know, underſtand this particularly of the ſecret tokens, which wicked men are wont to give to their companions for the doing of ſome miſchief to thoſe, to whom at the ſame time they make a fair ſhew of friendſhip, as by winking with the eye, or treading ſecretly on their feet, or ſome ſuch hint given them. But I rather underſtand it more generally, of any intimation given cloſely, whether by eye, hand or foot, of any wicked thoughts that are in his heart, as of luſt, or malice, or any ſuch.
Verſ. 15. Suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.] That is, No power nor policy, nor any means whatſoever ſhall be ever able to prevent his ruine: or, he ſhall be ruined irrecoverably, there ſhall be no poſſibility of reſtoring him to a good condition again; he ſhall be broken as a potters veſſel, which being broken cannot be mended and made up again. And herein alſo may be implyed, that when God began to puniſh him, there ſhould be no more place for repentance then.
Verſ. 16. Theſe ſix things doth the Lord hate; yea ſeven are an abomination to him.] Though God hates and abhorres all ſin, yet ſome are more abominable to him then others; and ſo theſe are here mentioned as horrible villanies, and ſuch as God doth above many other ſins abhorre.
Verſ. 17. A proud look, &c.] It is in the Original, haughty eyes. And thus Solomon expreſſeth moſt of theſe ſeven abominations by the members of the body wherewith they are acted, beginning with the eyes, & ſo going downward till he comes to the feet, as we ſee in the following words, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent bloud; & then verſ. 18. An heart that deviſeth wicked imaginations, feet that be ſwift in running to miſchief: ſee the Note chap. 1.16. And withall obſervable it is, that the heart is here placed in the midſt, as the fountain from whence all kind of wickedneſſe doth ſtream forth on every ſide to all the members.
Verſ. 21. Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.] See the Notes chap. 1.9. & 3.3.
Verſ. 22. When thou goeſt, it shall lead thee, &c.] That is, The command or counſell of thy godly parents, mentioned before verſ. 20. or, which is all one, the word of God which they preſſe upon thee, ſhall direct thee in all thy waies, ſtill carrying thee on unto greater perfection; ſee the Note chap. 3.23: when thou ſleepeſt, it shall keep thee; that is, ſay ſome Expoſitours, meditating thereon in the day, or falling aſleep with ſome good meditation thereof in thy mind, it ſhall keep thee in the night from all fooliſh & ſinfull dreams & illuſions of Satan; or rather, being carefully obſerved by thee, it ſhall be a ſure means of thy preſervation, in that the Lord will thereupon be tenderly watchfull over thee when thou ſleepeſt, to keep thee from all evil: and when thou awakeſt, it shall talk with thee; that is, it will bring to thy remembrance ſome ſpirituall & heavenly meditations, haply ſome meditations which thou hadſt before in the night ſeaſon, according to that of David Pſal. 139.18. when I awake, I am still with thee: & thus, before thou canſt make thy ſelf ready that thou maieſt be fit to talk with any body elſe, that will be as it were conferring with thee; and as maſters are wont early in the morning to appoint their ſervants what they ſhall doe all the day after, ſo will that direct thee how to carry thy ſelf in all the buſineſſes of the following day.
Verſ. 23. For the commandement is a lamp, and the law is light.] That is, as a candle in the night, & as the light of the ſun by day. Yea & ſome Expoſitours conceive, that having ſpoken in the foregoing verſe of the benefits that redound to men by the word, both whilſt they ſleep by night, & when they wake in the morning, therefore in alluſion thereto he adds here, that it is as a lamp or candle, whereof men have great uſe both when they goe to bed at night, and when they riſe in the morning. But ſee the Notes Pſal. 19.8, and 119.105.
Verſ. 25. Luſt not after her beauty in thine heart, neither let her take thee with her eyelids.] That is, with the handſomeneſſe of her eyes, wherein the beauty of the countenance doth chiefly conſiſt, whence is that Cant. 4.9. thou haſt ravished my heart with one of thine eyes; or with her caſting her eyes upon thee; or with her pleaſant and wanton looks, which are the very pit-fals & trap-doors wherewith harlots are wont to catch thoſe that haunt their company.
Verſ. 26. For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread, &c.] That is, to ſuch extreme poverty, that he hath ſcarce a piece of bread to eat, or that he is forced to beg from door to door for a morſell of bread: and the adultereſse will hunt for the precious life; that is, ſhe purſues men time after time, ſeeking by all poſſible craft and ſubtlety to bring them to that wickedneſſe, which doth uſually coſt them the loſſe of that which men do naturally eſteem above all earthly things, and that is their lives: and hence is that alſo which Solomon ſaith of the whoriſh woman, Eccleſ. 7.26. that her heart is ſoares and nets, and her hands as b…nds. But ſee the Note Prov. 2.18.
Verſ. 27. Can a man take fire in his boſome, & his cloths not be burnt? &c.] Why the ſin of adultery is compared to fire, both here, and in the following verſe, Can one goe upon hot coles, & his feet not be burnt? ſee the Note Job 31.12.
Verſ. 29. So he that goeth in to his neighbours wife, &c.] That is, that lyeth with her (for ſo this phraſe is often uſed in the Scripture, as Gen. 29.21, 23;) whoſoever toucheth her, to wit, in that kind, shall not be innocent, that is, the Lord will not hold him guiltleſſe; he ſhall be as ſurely puniſhed either by God or man, as he that taketh fire in his boſome is ſure to be burnt: or he that uſually keeps her company, & converſeth familiarly with her▪ whoſoever toucheth her ▪ that is, cometh near her, or any way dallieth with her, shall not be innocent, that is, whatever his intentions may be, or however confident he may be to the contrary, he ſhall not keep himſelf from ſinning with her, either by actuall uncleanneſſe with her, or by ſecret luſting after her, which alſo by degrees will bring on the other; at leaſt he ſhall not avoid ſcandal, he ſhall be commonly reputed an unclean perſon, the ſmell of this fire will at leaſt be upon him. See alſo the Note chap. 2.19.
Verſ. 30. Men do not deſpiſe a thief, if he ſteal to ſatisfy his ſoul when he is hungry.] That is, his naturall deſire after meat. In this caſe men are not wont to entertain any hard thoughts of ſuch a one, as they do of the adulterer, but rather to pitty him; and much leſſe will they ſeek to take away his life, or to put him to any publick ſhame: yea though he may lye under ſome diſgrace for a time, yet men are ſoon ready to forgive & forget it. Now all this Solomon ſpeaks with reſpect to what was uſually done in thoſe times amongſt the Iſraelites, who were not commanded by the law of God to puniſh theft with death.
Verſ. 31. But if he be found, he shall reſtore ſevenfold, &c.] See the Note Exod. 22.4. It is as if he had ſaid, It is true, full ſatisfaction ſhall be required of him; yea if it coſt him the parting with all the eſtate that he hath, if there be no other way to appeaſe thoſe from whom he hath ſtollen, and to ſatisfy for his theft according to Gods law, even this muſt be done; which is implyed in the following words, he shall give all the ſubſtance of his houſe: well but yet this is the utmoſt that is done to him, his life is not indangered, as the adulterers is, and that juſtly, becauſe he can make no reſtitution nor ſatisfaction to the abuſed husband, as the thief doth to thoſe he hath wronged.
Verſ. 32. But whoſo committeth adultery with a woman, lacketh understanding, &c.] That is, he is not compelled by neceſſity, as the thief is, but being meerly beſotted by his luſts he doth that which none but a mad man, a man void of all reaſon & underſtanding would doe, to wit, in that not conſidering the greatneſſe of his ſin, & Gods wrath againſt it, nor contenting himſelf with the lawfull uſe of the marriage-bed, which God hath appointed as a remedy for ſuch unlawfull luſts, he wilfully chuſeth to hazard his life & eternall ſalvation by ſeeking to ſatisfy his brutiſh deſires upon another mans wife; which is expreſſed in the following words, he that doth it, deſtroyeth his own ſoul.
Verſ. 33. A wound & dishonour shall he get.] By his getting a wound here may be meant, that he ſhould be wounded in his name & credit; & ſo much was haply implyed by adding the word dishonour, to explain the other, A wound and diſhonour shall he get: or elſe thereby may be meant the puniſhments inflicted on him by the magiſtrate, or the wounds given him by the womans enraged husband; which may ſeem moſt probable, becauſe of the following words.
Verſ. 34. For jealouſie is the rage of a man, &c.] That is, It is that which above all things enrageth a man; though an effeminate perſon may bear, he that hath any true manhood in him cannot bear it: therefore he will not ſpare in the day of vengeance; that is, he will not ſpare him his life, or he will not afford him the leaſt mercy, whenever he gets opportunity to take vengeance on him: for herein Solomon ſhews what was uſually done, not what might lawfully be done, ſeeing God did never allow private revenge, no not in this caſe. Yet the words may be alſo underſtood of the enraged husbands proſecuting the adulterer to death before the civil magiſtrate, and not ſuffering himſelf to be ſtopped by any mediation of friends, or by any gifts that came to be profered him, as is expreſſed in the following verſe.