Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Proverbs · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Verſ. 1. My Son, if thou bee Surety]
THe wiſe-man having exhorted his Son to marry, rather than burn, and to nouriſh a family, rather than to haunt Harlots houſes, to the end that hee may ſhew himſelf a good Oeconomick, and provide for the comfortable ſubſiſtence of wife and children, hee bids him here beware, 1 Of unadviſed ſuretiſhip. 2 Of idleneſs, two great enemies to thrift, without which there can be no good houſe kept. The royalty of Salomon could not have conſiſted for all his riches, without forecaſt and frugality.
Verſ. 2. Thou art ſnared] i. e. Endangered to ſlavery or poverty, or both. Hence the proverb, Sponde, noxa praeſto eſt: Give thy word, and thou art not far from a miſchief. Shun therefore ſuretiſhip, if fairly thou canſt: or if not, propound the worſt, and undertake for no more than thou canſt well perform without thy very great prejudice: ne, ut leo caſſibus irretitus dixeris, Si praeſciviſſem? leſt thou being got into the hamble trambles come in too late with thy tools Had I wiſt.
Thou art taken] For a bargain binds a man by the Law of Nature, and of Nations. Judah, though in a ſhameful buſineſs, would make good his engagement to the Harlot, Gen. 38.23. Every godly man will do ſo, though it bee to his own hinderance, Pſal. 15.4. The Romans had a great care alwaies to perform their word; inſomuch that the firſt Temple built in Rome was dedicated to the goddeſſe Fidelity. The Athenians were ſo careful this way, that Atticus teſtis is uſed for one that keeps touch; and Attica fides is ſure hold; as contrarily, Punica fides, there was no hold to bee taken of Carthaginian promiſes. Of a certain Pope and his Nephew, it is ſaid, that the one never ſpoke as hee thought, the other never performed what hee ſpake.Rom. 13. This was ſmall to their commendation. Debt is a burden to every well-minded man, neither can hee bee at reſt, till hee come to Owe nothing to any man but this, that yee love one another. When Arch-biſhop Cranmer diſcerned the ſtorm which afterwards fell upon him in Queen Maries daies,Act. & Mon. vol. 2. p. 1541. hee took expreſs order for the payment of all his debts, and ingagements; which when it was once done, a moſt joyful man was hee, ſaith Maſter Fox in his life. For bills and obligations do mancipate the moſt free and ingenuous ſpirit, and ſo put a man out of aim, that hee can neither ſerve God without diſtraction, nor do good to others, nor ſet his own ſtate in any good order; but lives and dies intangled and puzled with cares and ſnares; and after a tedious and laborious life paſſed in a circle of fretting thoughts, hee leaves at laſt, inſtead of better patrimony, a world of intricate troubles to his poſterity, who are alſo taken with the words of his mouth.
Verſ. 3. When thou art come into the hand] For the borrower is ſervant to the lender,Hieron. ad Celantiam. Prov 22.7. And Facilè ex amico inimicum facies cui promiſſa non reddes, ſaith Hierom. A friend will ſoon become a foe, if unfriendly and unfaithfully dealt with. Not keeping time makes a jarre in payments (and ſo in friendſhip too) as well as in Muſick.
Ezek. 32.2. & 34.18.Go, humble thy ſelf] Crave favour and further time of the Creditour: ſay, Doubt not of your debt, onelyonly forbear a while. Caſt thy ſelf at his feet, as to bee trodden (ſo the Hebrew word here ſignifieth) Stick not at any ſubmiſſion, ſo thou mayeſt gain time, and get off, and not bee forced to run into the Uſurers Books, that Amalec or licking people, which as Cormorants fall upon the borrowers, and like Cur-doggs, ſuck your blood onelyonly with licking, and in the end kill you, and cruſh you, rob you, and raviſh you, Pſal. 10.8, 9, 10.
And make ſure thy friend] For whom thou ſtandeſt ingaged; call upon him to ſave thee harmleſs. For as Alphius the Uſurer ſometimes ſaid of his Clients,Horat. Epod. Colum. de re ruſt. l. 1. c 7. Optima nomina non appellando mala fieri; Even good Debters will prove ſlack pay-maſters if they bee let alone, if not now and then called upon. Some read the words thus: Multiply thy friends, or ſollicite them, viz. to intercede for thee to the Creditor, and to keep thee out of this brake.
Verſ. 4. Give not ſleep to thine eyes, &c.] Auguſtus wondred at a certain Knight in Rome, that owed much, and yet could ſleep ſecurely;Dio. and when this Knight dyed, hee ſent to buy his bed, as ſuppoſing there was ſomething more than ordinary in it, to procure ſleep. The opportunity of liberty and thriving is to bee well husbanded, leſt ſome ſtorm ariſing from the cruelty of Creditors, or mutability of outward things, over-whelm a man with debt and danger, as the whirlwind doth the unwary traveller upon the Alpes with ſnow. Now if ſuch care bee to bee taken that wee run not raſhly in debt to men, how much more to God? If to undertake for others bee ſo dangerous, how ſhould wee pray with that godly man,Auguſt. From my other-mens ſins good Lord deliver mee? If wee are ſo to humble our ſelves to our fellow-creatures in this caſe, how much more ſhould wee humble our ſelves under the mighty hand of God,Jam. 4.10. that hee may lift us up in due ſeaſon? If this bee to bee done without delay, where the danger reacheth but to the outward man; how much more ſpeed and earneſtneſs ſhould bee uſed in making peace with God, whoſe wrath is a fire that burns as low as hell, and getting the black lines of our ſins drawn over with the red lines of his Sons blood; and ſo utterly razed out of the book of his remembrance?
Verſ. 5. As a Roe from the hand, &c.] This creature may bee taken, but not eaſily tamed: It ſeeks therefore by all means to make eſcape,Cald. Paraph. in Cant. 8.14. and when it fleeth, looketh behinde it, holding it no life, if not at liberty.
And as a bird] A moſt fearful creature, and deſirous of liberty,Nititur in ſylvas quaeque redire ſuas. that Avis Paradiſi eſpecially, that being taken, never gives over groaning, till let go again.
Verſ. 6. Go to the Ant thou ſluggard] Man that was once the Captain of Gods School, is now (for his truantlineſs) turned down into the loweſt form, as it were, to learn his A b c again, yea to bee taught by theſe meaneſt creatures. So Chriſt ſends us to School to the birds of the air, and Lilies of the field, to learn dependence upon divine Providence, Matth. 6. and to the Stork, Crane, and Swallow, to bee taught to take the ſeaſons of Grace, and not to let ſlip the opportunities that God putteth into our hands, Jer. 8.7. This poor deſpicable creature the Ant, is here ſet in the chair to read us a Lecture of ſedulity and good husbandry. What a deal of grain gets ſhe together in Summer? What pains doth ſhee take for it, labouring not by day-light onelyonly, but by Moon-ſhine alſo? What huge heaps hath ſhee? What care to bring forth her ſtore, and lay it a drying on a Sun-ſhine day, left with moiſture it ſhould putrifie, &c. Not onelyonly Ariſtotle, Aelian, and Pliny, but alſo Baſil, Ambroſe, and Hierom have obſerved and written much of the nature and induſtry of this poor creature; telling us withall, that in the Ant, Bee, Stork, &c. God hath ſet before us, as in a picture, the lively reſemblance of many excellent vertues, which wee ought to purſue and practiſe. Theſe, ſaith One, are veri laicorum libri, the true Lay-mens books, the images that may teach men the right knowledge of God, and of his will, of themſelves and their duties.
Verſ. 7. Which having no guide, overſeer, &c.] How much more then ſhould man, who hath all theſe, and is both ad laborem natus, & ratione ornatus, born to labour, and hath reaſon to guide him? Only hee muſt take heed that hee bee not Antlike, wholly taken up about what ſhall wee eat, or what ſhall wee drink, &c.
Verſ. 8. Provideth her meat in the Summer] Shee devours indeed much grain made chiefly for the uſe of man; But deſerves (ſaith an Interpreter) for this very cauſe, to bee fed with the fineſt wheat, and greateſt dainties, that all men may have her alwayes in their eye: Diligent men to quicken their diligence, and ſluggards to ſhame them for their ſlothfulneſs.
And gathereth her food in harveſt] That may ſerve in Winter. It is good for a man to keep ſomewhat by him, to have ſomething in ſtore, and not in diem vivere, Quint…l.as the fowls of heaven do. Bonus Servatius facit bonum Bonifacium, as the Dutch Proverb hath it. A good ſaver makes a well-doer. Care muſt bee taken ne Promus ſit fortior Condo, that our layings-out, bee not more than our layings-up. Let no man here object that of our Saviour, Care not for to morrow, &c. There is a care of diligence, and a care of diffidence, a care of the head, and a care of the heart; the former is needful, the latter ſinful.
Verſ. 9. How long wilt thou ſleep, O ſluggard?] The ear wee ſay, is firſt up in a morning: Call a ſleeping man by his name, and hee will ſooner awake and anſwer to it than to any thing elſe. The Wiſe-man therefore thus deals with the ſluggard, that hee may go forth and ſhake him, as Sampſon, not giving way to exceſſive ſleep, which comes as a Publican (ſaith Plutarch) and takes away a third part of our lives at leaſt.Lib. 3. cap. 5. Pliny ſaid to his Nephew, when hee ſaw him walk out ſome hours without ſtudying, Poteras has horas non perdere, You might have put theſe hours to better uſes. May not the ſame bee ſaid to the ſleepy ſluggard? Whiles the Crocodile ſleeps with open mouth, the Indian Rat ſhoots himſelf into his body, and ea…s up his intrails. Whilſt Iſhboſheth ſlept upon his bed at noon, Baanah and Rechab took away his head. Epaminondas a renowned Captain, finding one of his Sentinels aſleep, thruſt him thorow with his ſword: And being chid for ſo great ſeverity, replied, Talem eum reliqui qualem inven…, I left him but as I found him. It muſt bee our care that death ſerve us not in like ſort, that wee bee not taken napping, and ſo killed with death, Rev. 2.21. The bird Onocrotalus is ſo well practiſed to expect the Hawk to grapple with her, that even when ſhee ſhutteth her eyes ſhee ſleepeth with her beak exalted, as if ſhee would contend with her Adverſary, to teach us continual vigilancy, reſembling thoſe who were wont to ſleep with brazen balls in their hands, which falling on veſſels purpoſely ſet on their bed-ſides, the noyſe did diſſwade immoderate ſleep.Sen. Epiſt. Nullus mihi per otium exit dies, partem etiam noctium ſtudiis vendico, ſaith Seneca. I let no day paſs mee idlely, ſome part of the night alſo I ſpend in ſtudy. Our King Alfred, Anno 872. caſt the natural day into three parts; eight hours hee ſpent in prayer, ſtudy and writing, eight in the ſervice of his body, and eight in the affairs of his State. Which ſpace (having then no other engine for it) hee meaſured by a great wax-light divided into ſo many parts,Daniels Chro. 13. receiving notice by the keeper thereof, as the ſeveral hours paſſed in the burning. The Jews divided likewiſe the day into three parts, the firſt ad Tephilla, for prayer; the ſecond ad Torah, for reading the Law; the third, ad Malachah, for work; no talk of ſleep. Their work would (likely) keep them waking. As for the Law, what Servilius Scevola ſaid of the Civil Law,Tenenti codicem ſomnus obrepat, & cadentem faciem pagina ſacra ſuſcipiat. Hier. ad Euſt. holds more true of the Divine, Jus civile ſcriptum eſt vigilantibus non dormitantibus, The Law was not written for ſleepers, but wakers. Jerome exhorted ſome godly women to whom hee wrote, not to lay the Bible out of their hands, until being overcome with ſleep, and not able any longer to hold up their heads, they bowed them down, as it were, to ſalute the leaves, below them, with a kiſs. And for prayer, David would not fall aſleep at it, but break his ſleep for it,Turk. Hiſt. fol. 297. Eg…eroch ex radice gnarach ordinavis, acicum diſpoſuit: vaz…. ſappel ex radice …ſap…ah ſpeculando expectavit. Hinc …ſopheh ſp…culator. Pſ. 119.62. & 147. He was at it at midnight, at day-dawn, and In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up, Pſal. 5.3. Two military words hee there makes uſe of (to ſhew his wakefulneſs at his work) (Souldiers are not the greateſt ſleepers: Caeſar was no leſs vigilant, than valiant: Scanderbeg from his firſt coming to Epirus never ſlept above two hours in a night) hee would not onelyonly pray, but marſhal up his prayers, put them in good array; and when hee had ſo done, hee would bee as a Spy upon a Tower, to ſee whether hee prevailed, whether hee got the day: The Spouſe ſlept, but her heart waked; and as repenting of that half-ſleep alſo (which yet the night and foul weather perſwaded) ſhee promiſeth to get up early, Cant. 5.2. with 7.12. Our Saviour was up and at prayer a great while before day, Mark. 1.35. The holy Angels are ſtiled Watchers, foreign.Dan. 4.10. And they are three times pronounced happy that watch, Luk. 12.37, 38, 43. Watch therefore.
Verſ. 10. Yet a little ſleep] Heb. Sleeps, ſo ſlumbers, Though hee ſpeaks in the plural, and would have much, yet all is but a little in his pretence and conceit. Hee asks a little, but hee will not bee denied:Auguſtin. Sed finite panlulum ibit in longum. Firſt, hee muſt have ſleep, having ſlept, hee muſt have ſlumbers; (ſleep will not quickly bee rubed out of his eyes) having ſlumbered, hee muſt fold his hands. Compreſſis ſedere manibus, to fit with hands folded up,Liv. lib. 7. is uſed by the Latines in a like ſenſe.) Hee tumbles on his bed, as a door on the hinges, Prov. 16.14. a man muſt come with a lever to help him off his Couch.
Verſ. 11. As a traveller, and thy want as an armed man] That is, ſpeedily and irreſiſtibly. Men muſt ſweat out a living, and earn their bread afore they eat it, 2 Theſ. 3.12. Think not to have wealth without working; as Cities and Towns are ſaid to have fallen into Timotheus his toil as hee was ſleeping (with ſo much eaſe hee took them in.Hippocrat.) Spontaneae laſſitudines morbos praecedunt, Roamings and reachings fore-run diſeaſes: ſo doth ſluggiſhneſs uſher in penury: when as manus motitans, the nimble hand maketh rich, Prov. 10.4. and in all labour there is abundance, Prov. 14.Saluſt. But Nae illi falſi ſunt qui diverſiſſimas res expectant ignaviae voluptatem & pramia virtutis: They are utterly out that think to have the pleaſure of idleneſs, and the plenty of painfulneſs.
Verſ. 12. A naughty perſon] Lo, every idle man is a naughty man: is, or ere long will bee; For by doing nothing, men learn to do evil,Nihil agenda male agere diſcunt. ſaid the Heathen: And, thou wicked and ſlothful ſervant, ſaith our Saviour, Mat. 25.26. Hee puts no difference betwixt Nequam & Nequaquam, and idle and an evil perſon. The Devil alſo will not long ſuffer ſuch an one to bee idle, but will ſoon ſet him to work. Idleneſs is the hour of temptation.
A wicked man] Or, an unprofitable man, vir nihili, good for nothing, but to eat, and drink, and ſleep, and ſport, and ſit, and talk, and laugh, and be merry. Theſe are Cyphers, nay, they are excrements in humane ſociety;Mr. Wheatly. that live in the world to no purpoſe, yea, to bad purpoſe. Oh it is good (ſaith One) to do ſomething whereby the world may be the better; and not to come hither meerly as Rats and Mice, onelyonly to devoure victuals, and to run ſqueaking up and down.
Walketh with a froward mouth] Graditur ore perverſe. Nothing more uſual with Idlebies, than to go tatling up and down▪ prying, and ſpying,foreign. 2 Theſ. ….11 and carrying tales and rumors, 1 Tim. 5.13. See the note there. It is nothing that they can do; they will ſay the more therefore.
Verſ. 13. Hee winketh with his eyes] Hee is reſtleſs in evil, and with his odd tricks and geſticulations ſeeks to ſpread miſchief; even there, where hee dares not otherwiſe diſcover himſelf. Or the ſenſe may bee this: Though hee ſpeak froward things, though hee ſlander and detract, &c. to the hurt of the hearers, yet as if hee ſpake nothing but truth, and out of deep affection to the party, hee ſeeks to aſſure it by the conſtancy of his countenance, by the gravity of his gate, and by the motion of his fingers, to make beleeve that it is ſo indeed, when as in truth it is neither ſo, nor ſo.
Verſ. 14. Frowardneſs is in his heart] What marvel then though hee ſoleciſe with his hand, though hee twinkle with his eye, and tinkle with his feet,foreign. &c. When hee ſpeaketh fair, beleeve him not: for there are ſeven abominations in his heart, Prov. 26.25. Even thoſe ſeven next mentioned here, Verſ. 16, 17, 18, 19. as Aben-Ezra conceiveth upon that Text.
He… deviſeth miſchief continually] Heb. At all times. Pliny ſpeaks of the Scorpion, that there is not one minute, wherein it doth not put forth the ſting. The ſoul of a wicked man is in a ſling, reſtleſs, and violently toſſed about by Satan, who acts and agitates him,1 Sam. 25.29. Epheſ. 2.2. See Mic. 2.1. Hoſ. 7.6.
Hee ſoweth diſcord] And ſo ſhews himſelf a true breathing Devil, a Diſciple of Machiavel, whoſe Maxime was, Divide, & impora, make diviſion, and get dominion.Archb. Abbots Anſwer to D. Hills three reaſons. In the year 1579 Allen at Rhemes inſtructed his Emiſſary ſeducers ſent over into England, to make way for their great project of perdition in eighty eight, by dividing the people under the terms of Proteſtant and Puritan, and provoking them thereby to real and mutual, both hate and contempt. And what labouring there is now by the Jeſuitical party to heighten out unhappy differences, that they may make themſelves Maſters of all, who ſeeth not? Herein they deal (ſaith Gregory, of the like factors for the Devil in his time) as the Maſter of the Pit, who oft ſets two Cocks to fight together to the death of both, that after mutual conqueſt, hee may ſup with both their carkaſſes. The Jews, before they were baniſhed out of this Kingdome, threw bags of poiſon into the wells and fountains that the people were to drink of, and thereby indeavoured to poiſon them all: ſo do our ſeeds-men of ſedition.
Verſ. 15. Suddenly ſhall hee bee broken without remedy] A diſmal doom: Broken and not bruiſed onelyonly, ſuddenly broken, when they leaſt dream or dread the danger. And this without remedy; no poſſibility of peecing them up again, or putting them into a better condition. See this exemplified in Nabal, 1 Sam. 25. and Deeg, Pſal. 52.
Verſ. 16. Theſe ſix things doth the Lord hate] That is, hee deteſteth, damneth, puniſheth them in the ſluggard, whoſe ſoul is the ſink of all theſe enſuing evils. Where note, That ſin makes wicked men the object of Gods hatred, the Saints of his pitty: As wee hate poiſon in a Toad, but wee pitty it in a man: in the one, it is their nature, in the other, their diſeaſe.
Yea ſeven are an abomination to him] Or, That ſeventh his ſoul abhorreth, that ſowing of diſcord among brethren heightneth and compleateth his hatred of the reſt.Septimum abominatio anima illius.
Verſ. 17. A proud look] Heb. Haughty eyes. Mens hearts uſually and chiefly ſit and ſhew themſelves in oculis, in loculis, in poculis, in their eyes, purſes,Profecto oculis animus inhabitat. Plin. Ep. ad Evagr. and cups. The Latines ſpeaking of an arrogant diſdainful perſon ſay, that hee doth ſupercilium attollere, look loftily. Odi fastum iſtius Eccleſia, ſaid Baſil, I hate the proud ſtatelineſs of that Weſtern Church: the Church of Rome hee means,Quid verum fit neque ſciunt, neque ſuſtinent diſcerere. Ibid. which even in thoſe purer times began to look big, and deſpiſe all other in compariſon of it ſelf. This hee ſomewhere calls foreign, the Weſtern eye-brow, which occaſioned at length that lamentable ſeparation of the Eaſtern or Greek Church from communion with the Latine: The other four Patriarcks dividing themſelves from the Biſhop of Rome, and at their parting, uſing theſe, or the like words: Thy greatneſs wee know, thy covetouſneſs wee cannot ſatisfie, D. Field of the Church. Gerſon. Carleton.thine intollerable inſolency wee can no longer endure, live to thy ſelf, &c. God himſelf reſiſts a proud perſon in a ſpecial manner, 1 Pet. 5.5. and that afar off, Pſal. 138.6. hee cannot abide the ſight of him, Looks aloof at him. For whereas all other vices flye from God (ſaith Boethius) Pride lets flye at him.Sola Superbia ſe Deo opponit. No wonder therefore though his ſoul abhor it, when it buds eſpecially, Ezek. 7.10. and teſtifies to a mans face, Hoſ. 7.10. breaking forth as the Maſter-pock of the ſoul in big-ſwoln words, proud gate,Bubbles of vanity. 2 Pet. 2.18. ridiculous geſtures, gariſh attire, lofty and haughty looks, that hate of Heaven and gate to Hell. David could not indure it in any of his, Pſal. 101.5. No more could Queen Elizabeth in the greateſt favourite about her. Diſſenſion once falling out between her and Eſſex about a fit man for government of Ireland, hee forgetting himſelf, and neglecting his duty, uncivilly turneth his back, as it were in contempt, with a ſcornful look. Shee waxing impatient,Camdeus Eliſab. 494. gave him a cuff on the ear, bidding him begone with a vengeance, &c. For avoiding of all diſcontents and diſtempers this way occaſioned, it were to bee wiſhed, that men would firſt get humble hearts, (the Apoſtle, Epheſ. 4. makes humble-mindedneſs the firſt virtue, as here a proud look is made the firſt vice, the Maſter-root.) And then, that they would enter into a Covenant, as Job did (with his own eyes at leaſt, Chap. 30.1.) ſuch a Covenant as was once made at a meeting of the borderers in the marches between England and Scotland: Security was given and confirmed on both ſides by Oath (according to cuſtome) and proclamation made,Ibid. 279. ſaith mine Author, that no man ſhould harm other by word, deed, or look.
A lying tongue] Heb. A tongue of lying, viz. That hath learned the trade, and can do it artificially. A Frier, a lier, was the old proverb here, paſſing for current of that evil Generation, thoſe loud and lewd liers, The proud have forged lies againſt mee, Pſal. 119.69. Aſſunt mendacium mendacio (ſo the Hebrew hath it) they …ew one lie to another, until their iniquity bee found to bee hateful, Pſal. 36.2. A righteous man (how much more the righteous God?) hateth lying: But a wicked man (for his lying) is loathſome (Heb. ſtinketh) and cometh to ſhame, Prov. 13.5. Pilate (for inſtance) of whom Egeſippus ſaith, that hee was Vir nequam & parvi faciens mendacium, A naughty man, and that made light of a lye. It may ſeem ſo by that ſcornful queſtion of his, What's truth? Joh. 18.38. Tacitus alſo is by Tertullian ſaid to bee mendaciorum loquaciſſimus: where hee ſpeaks of Chriſtians, hee writes ſo many lines, ſo many lies. Liers pervert the end for which God created ſpeech▪ which was, to give light to the notions of the mind. Hence foreign.
And hands that ſhed innocent blood] This is fitly ſubjoyned and ſet after a lying tongue; becauſe blood-ſhed is oft occaſioned by lying.
— nil eſt audacius illis
Deprenſis: iram atque animos ex crimine ſumunt.Juvenal.
Ruffians revenge the lye given them with a ſtab. Perſecutors (as in the French Maſſacre) give out that Chriſtians are the worſt of men, not fit to live for their notorious enormities, and therefore not to bee pittied if taken from the earth. Thoſe that kill a Dog (ſaith the French Proverb) make the world beleeve hee was mad firſt: ſo they alwaies belied the Church, and traduced her to the world, and then perſecuted her; firſt took away her veil▪ and then wounded her, Cant. 5.6. The Devil was firſt a ſlanderer and lyer, and then a murtherer. Hee cannot murder, without hee ſlander firſt. But God will deſtroy them that ſpeak lies, the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man, Pſal. 5.6.
Verſ. 18 An heart that deviſeth wicked imaginations] This is the old Beldame, the Mother of all the foregoing and following miſchiefs; and is therefore fitly ſet in the midſt of the ſeven, as having an influence into all. From the eies, the Wiſe-man deſcends to the mouth, from the mouth, to the hands, from the hands, to the heart, from thence to the feet, and ſo takes the parts in order as they ſtand: But as for the heart, it transfuſeth its venome into all the reſt, and may ſay to them all, as the heart of Apollodorus the Tyrant ſeemed to ſay to him, who dreamed one night that hee was fleaed by the Scythians, and boiled in a Caldron, and that his heart ſpake to him out of the kettle, foreign. It is I that have drawn thee to all this. Thoſe in Hell cry ſo doubtleſs.
Feet that bee ſwift] As if they ſhould come too late. This is a foul abuſe of the locomotive faculty given us by God for better purpoſe, that wee ſhould bee ſwift to hear, run to and fro to encreaſe knowledge, Dan. 12. walk in the way that is called holy, go from ſtrength to strength, taking long ſtrides towards Heaven, Pſal. 84.7. Thoſe then that walk in a contrary road, and make all poſſible haſte to heap up ſin upon ſin, muſt needs be abominated and accurſed of God.
Verſ. 19. A falſe witneſs that ſpeaketh lies] Heb. That blows abroad lies, as with a pair of bellows, that vents them boldly and freely in open Court, in the face of the Countrey. Theſe Knights of the Poſt can lend an oath for a need, as they did Jeſabel againſt Naboth, and like thoſe in the hiſtory, will not ſtick to ſwear that their friend or foe was at Rome and Interamna both at once. God oft thundereth againſt ſuch, to ſhew his utter hatred of them: and hath, threatned that the winged flying-book that is full of curſes within and without, ſhall overtake them ere they get home, and ſhall reſt in the midſt of their houſes, to conſume them with the timber thereof, and the ſtones thereof, Zach. 5.4.
And him that ſoweth diſcord] See the Notes on verſ. 14. & 16. Unity among brethren is fitly compared to a Cable-Rope, which will not eaſily break but if once cut aſunder, its hard to tye a knot upon it; what ill officers then are Breed-bates, and boutefeus?
Verſ. 20. My Son, keep thy Fathers Commandement] The commandements of religious Parents, are the very commandements of God himſelf, and are therefore to bee as carefully kept as the apple of a mans eye, Prov. 7.2. See the Note one Chap. 1.8.
Verſ. 21. Binde them continually] Obſerve them with as much care and conſcience, as thou art bound to do the Law of God given by Moſes, Deut. 6.8. See the Note there.
Ducet & perducet.Verſ. 22. When thou goeſt, it ſhall lead thee] No ſuch guide to God as the Word, which while a man holds to, hee may ſafely ſay, Lord, if I bee deceived, thou haſt deceived mee; If I bee out of the way, thy word hath miſled mee.
When thou ſleepeſt, it ſhall keep thee] If thou ſleep with ſome good meditation in thy mind, it ſhall keep thee from fooliſh and ſinful dreams and fancies, and ſet thy heart in a holy frame, when thou awakeſt. Hee that raketh up his fire at night, ſhall finde fire in the morning. How precious are thy thoughts (that is thoughts of thee) unto mee, O God? Pſal. 139.17. what follows? When I awake, I am still with thee, verſ. 18.
Verſ. 23. For the Commandement is a Lamp] Or Candle, whereof there is no ſmall uſe when men go to bed, or riſe betime. Hee that hath the Word of Chriſt richly dwelling in him, may lay his hand upon his heart, and ſay as dying Oecolampadius did, Hic ſat lucis. Here's plenty of light. Under the Law all was in riddles; Moſes was veyled. And yet that ſaying was then verified, Et latet & lucet. There was light enough to light men to Chriſt the end of the Law.
And reproofs of inſtruction] Or corrections of inſtructions. A leſſon ſet on with a whipping is beſt remembred. See the Note on Chap. 3.13.
Verſ. 24. To keep thee from the evil woman] Heb. From the woman of evil, that is wholly given up to wickedneſs, as Aaron ſaith of the people, Exod. 32.22. and as Plautus, In fermento tota jacet uxor. In this ſenſe Antichriſt is called the man of ſin, 2 Theſ. 3.
From the flattery of the tongue] This is the proper effect of Gods word, hid in the heart, as an amulet. Bellerophon and other Heathens, without this preſervative, abſtained from Adultery, either for love of praiſe, or fear of puniſhment, or opinion of merit, but this was not properly chaſtity, but continency, which kept them from the outward act, ſed non ſine dolore, not without inward luſtings and hankerings after ſtrange fleſh. Vellem, ſi non eſſem Imperator, ſaid Scipio, when a fair Harlot was offered to him, I would if I were not a General.
Of a ſtrange woman] Filthineſs (as alſo ſwearing and drunkenneſs) in a woman is moſt abominable. Hence (among other reaſons, ſaith one) the whoriſh woman is called the ſtrange woman.
Saluſt.Verſ. 25. Luſt not after her beauty] Aureliae Oreſtillae praeter formam nihil unquam bonus landavit. Aurelia Oreſtilla had beauty indeed, but nothing elſe that was praiſe-worthy,foreign Aelian. ver. hiſt. lib. 12. c. 1. ſaith the Hiſtorian. How much better Aſpaſia Mileſia, of whom Aelian reports, that ſhee was Fair and Modeſt? And the Lady Jane Gray whoſe excellent beauty was adorned with all variety of virtues, as a clear Sky with ſtars, as a princely Diadem with Jewels. Some women are like Helen without, Hecuba within; but it is a ſmall praiſe to have a good face, and a naughty nature, a beautiful countenance, and a baſe life.
In thine heart] See the Note on Mat. 5.28. and on 1 Cor. 7.34.
Propers. Paguin.Neither let her take thee with her eye-lids] Si neſcis, oculi ſunt in amore duces. Some render it, Neque to capiat splendoribus ſuis, Let her not take thee with her glitterings, and gay habiliments, or head-tires. Cyprian and Auſtin ſay, that ſuperfluous attire is worſe than whoredome, becauſe whoredome only corrupts chaſtity, but this corrupts nature. Hierome ſaith; that if women adorn themſelves ſo as to provoke men to luſt after them, though no evil follow upon it, yet thoſe women ſhall ſuffer eternal damnation, becauſe they offered poyſon to others, though none would drink it.
Verſ. 26. For by means of a Whoriſh woman] See the Note on Chap. 5.10. Theſe creatures know no other language but that of the Horſleeches daughter, Give, give, and may fitly bee compared to the Ravens of Arabia, that full-gorged have a tuneable ſweet record; but empty, ſcreech horribly: or to Carrion-crows, that flock to a dead carcaſs, not to defend it, but to devour it; and no ſooner have they bared the bones, but they are gone.Daniels Chronicle. Thus Dame Alice Peirce (King Edward the thirds Concubine) ſerved him whiles hee lived, all was here as ſhee would; and when this King lay a dying, ſhee packt away what ſhee could ſnatch, even to the rings on his fingers, and ſo left him.
Corpus, opes, animum, famam, vim, lumina, Scortum
Debilitat, perdit, necat, aufert, cripit, orbat.
Will hunt for the precious life] As Potiphars wife did for Joſephs, Gen. 39.14. And ſurely it was a great providence of God, that upon her falſe accuſation, hee had not been preſently put to death. Into priſon hee was thrown, and ſo laden with fetters, that the iron entred into his ſoul, i. e. eat into his fleſh, Pſal. 105.18. and all by means of this Whoriſh woman,Mantud…. whoſe luſt turned into hatred. Aut te ardenter amat, aut te capitaliter odit. See more in the Note on Prov. 5.11.
Verſ. 27. Can a man take fire] Leſt any man ſhould reply, I will ſee to my ſelf, and ſave one from the fore-named miſchiefs. I have more wit than to truſt any Harlot, and more skill than to let it come abroad to my diſgrace and detriment: The Wiſe-man anſwers, that it is as poſſible to take a live-coal from the hearth, and bear it in a mans boſome, without burning his cloaths, or to walk upon fire without ſcorching his feet, as to attempt any thing in this kinde, and to ſcape ſcot-free. Flagitium & flagellum ſicut acus & filum. Sin and puniſhment go linked together with chains of Adamant. Thy cloaths will ſtink at leaſt of that fire, thy feet will bliſter at leaſt with thoſe coals. If the great ſhowr blow over thee, yet thou ſhalt bee wet with the after-drops.
Verſ. 28. Can one go upon hot coals?] Similitudes are never ſet out to confirm or confute, but to adorn and illuſtrate, giving unto their matter a certain kinde of lively geſture, and ſtirring up thereby mens drowſie mindes to the conſideration and acknowlegement of the truth, and to the purſute and practice of vertue and godlineſs. Of the great uſe of Similes, wee may read in Chryſoſt. Hom. in Gen. 13. Origen in Levit. 10. Auguſt. de doctrina Chriſt. lib. 2. Greg. Moral. lib. 3. cap. 36. &c.
Verſ. 29. So hee that goeth in to his neighbour] That ſuſpiciouſly converſeth with her alone, though haply with no intent of corrupting her. Joſeph ſhunned the company of his Miſtreſs, hee would not bee with her alone, Gen. 39.10. Chambering and ſecret familiarity with women is forbidden as a deed of darkneſs and diſhoneſty, Rom. 13.13. How much more then wanton touches and dalliance. Sit not at all with another mans wife, ſit not down upon the bed with her, ſaith Siracides, Chap. 9. Chriſts Diſciples marvelled that hee talked with the woman of Samaria, Solus cum ſola, ſaith Beza. But hee might do that,Joh. 427. that wee muſt beware of, leſt concupiſcence kindle. Abraham might ſee Sadome burning, but Lot might not look that way.
Shall not bee innocent] Shall not bee held ſo, howſoever ſhall ſuffer in his name, bee hee never ſo honeſt (beſides that hereby hee tempts the Devil to tempt him to uncleanneſs.) Now the Proverb is, Oculus & fama non patiuntur jocos. A mans eye and his name will bear no jeſt. And hee was no fool that ſaid, Negligere quid de ſe quiſque ſentiat, non ſolum arrogantis est, ſed & diſſoluti. Hee is not only a proud, but a lewd perſon, that takes no thought what others think and talk of him. Provide wee muſt for things honeſt, not onelyonly before the Lord, but alſo before men, 2 Cor. 8.20 21.
Verſ. 30. Men do not despiſe a Theef] Wee uſe to ſay, A lyer is worſe than a theef;Potior eſt fur quam qui aſſidue mentitur. foreign. Suidas. and Siracides ſaith the ſame of a conſtant lyer, Chap. 20. But that an Adulterer is worſe than a Theef, the Holy Ghoſt here aſſureth us, and his reaſons are unanſwerable. For firſt, his neceſſity pleads for him, hee muſt either ſteal or ſtarve, and this doth ſomewhat excuſe him, à tanto as they ſay, but not à toto; For as a man ſhould rather dye than lye, ſo hee ſhould rather periſh than purloin or pilfer. But what excuſe hath the Adulterer? non ventris inediam patitur, ſed cordis indigentiam, hee wants not meat, but wit; hee preſerveth not his body, but deſtroyeth his ſoul.
Verſ. 31. Hee ſhall reſtore ſeven-fold] i. e. Manifold, according as the Law limiteth, though it bee to the utmoſt of what the Theef is worth. But what reſtitution can the Adulterer make? ſhould hee make him amends with as much more? The Theef ſteals out of want, the Adulterer of wantonneſs.
Verſ. 32. Lacketh underſtanding] Being wholly carried by ſenſual appetite, againſt the dictates both of Religion, and of Reaſon. Beetles love dunghils better than oyntments, and Swine love mud better than a garden. Luther tells of a certain Grandee in his Country, ſo beſotted with the ſin of Whoredome, hee was not aſhamed to ſay, that if hee might ever live here, and bee carried from one Whore-houſe to another, there to ſatisfie his luſts, hee would never deſire any other heaven. This filthy man did afterwards breathe out his wretched ſoul betwixt two notorious Harlots.
Loniceri theat. hiſtor. p. 5….Deſtroyeth his own ſoul] It is not therefore leve peccatum, a ſmall ſin, as the Popes Canoniſts call it. Divine Juſtice doth not uſe to kill Flyes with Beetles.
Verſ. 33. A wound and diſhonour ſhall hee get] Either from the husband of the Adultereſs, or from the Magiſtrate, who will put him to death, according to the Law of God, Levit. 20. Deut. 22. and of divers Nations, with whom Adultery is a capital crime.
And his reproach ſhall not bee wiped away] See the Note in Chap. 5.9. How oft read we of David, that hee was upright in all things, ſave only in the matter of Uriah? What an indeleble blot is that ſtill upon him?
Verſ. 34. For jealouſie is the rage] Howbeit hee may not kill the Adulterer though taken in the act,Cuſtos utriuſque tabula. but proſecute the Law againſt him, and appeal to the Magiſtrate, who is the Lord-keeper of both Tables. But if no Law will releeve a man, yet let him know, that hee ſhall do himſelf no diſſervice by making God his Chancellor.