Works Volume 4, Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
1. MY Son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
2. So that thou incline thine ear unto wiſedom, and apply thy heart to underſtanding,
Paraphrase. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. The advantages of piety being ſo conſiderable, what ſhould avert any man from the vigorous purſuit of it? Sure, not that which perhaps is, (becauſe nothing elſe can be) pretended, the difficulties of attaining it. For whether it be in relation to our underſtanding the rules of it, or to our practice of them, the difficulties are not ſuch, but that we may, by God's help, which he is not backward to afford, be confident to overcome them. The whole matter may be referr'd to two heads, the ſame that were forementioned, ch. 1.7. firſt the fear of the Lord, as that ſignifies a pious, and humble, tender fear of diſpleaſing him, and ſecondly, the knowledge of God, as that alſo includes an uniform practice, anſwerable to that knowledge; and toward each of theſe God fails not to contribute his part, to the firſt by his preventing, to the ſecond by his illuminating, and exciting, and aſſiſting grace: All that is demanded of us, is but to receive theſe, and faithfully to make uſe of them, to the purpoſes to which they are afforded. And our duty in this behalf is made up of four branches, 1. an humble pliableneſs to receive inſtruction when 'tis offered, together with a care to lay up what is thus received, for the direction of our lives; 2. a bending our ſtudies that way, taking our ſelves off from the groſſer cogitations of the world, and fleſh, and applying our ſelves to the great concernments of our ſouls: 3. a conſtant earneſt importunate petitioning of God, the fountain of all grace, for thoſe illuminations and aſſiſtances, which our wants ſuggeſt, and our condition makes neceſſary for us: 4. an ardent affection and deſire, and a vehement purſuit, animated therewith, ſuch as is ordinarily found in men toward the gains and advantages of the world, when they will not be gotten otherwiſe; and ought in all reaſon to be much more vigorouſly imployed in the gaining of this divine treaſure. Theſe he that wants, hath none to accuſe but his own ſloth, and great injuſtice, (God being not wanting to him, in his readineſs to contribute ſufficiently toward the acquiring of them.) And he that hath them, need never doubt, but he ſhall effectually attein what he ſo earneſtly and ſincerely purſues.
3. Yea if thou crieſt after knowledge, and lifteſt up thy voice for underſtanding,
4. If thou ſeekeſt her as ſilver, and ſearcheſt for her, as for hid treaſures,
5. Then ſhalt thou underſtand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
6. For the Lord giveth wiſedom, out of his mouth cometh knowledge and underſtanding.
Paraphrase. 6. For certainly God, to whom his petition is addreſt, is abundantly able to furniſh him. He is the unexhauſted fountain of grace, revealing his will, the rule of piety, and aſſiſting to the performance of it.
7. He layeth up *ſubſtance for the upright, or ſincere.ſound wiſedom for the righteous, he is a buckler to them that walk †perfectly, foreign, without ſpot, Chald.uprightly.
Paraphrase. 7. And to thoſe that ſincerely make uſe of his preventing grace, receiving what he gives, and negotiating with it, he will give that abundance of aſſiſting grace, that ſhall ſufficiently enable them to walk acceptably before him; This is laid up for them, as riches in an inexhauſtible treaſure, and ſhall never fail to be ſeaſonably diſpenced to them, as they have need of it; God having promiſed to be the protectour of thoſe that keep cloſe, and approve their obedience to him; and the moſt eminent part of that protection is to ſtand by them, and aid and ſupport them in all their temptations.
8. ‖to keep, foreign, LXXII.He keepeth the paths of judgment, and *he ſhall preſerve, foreignpreſerveth the way of his ſaints.
Paraphrase. 8. To keep a ſtrong and watchfull guard over all thoſe ways that he hath authorized men to walk in (ſuch are the practices of all Chriſtian vertues, exact juſtice, and charity, and mercy, and piety towards God) and conſequently to ſecure them, as long as they ſhall continue ſtedfaſt, to thoſe ways, and not wander out of them into blind paths of their own; And as he hath promiſed, ſo he is ſure to perform; Thoſe that adhere to him he will never fail to preſerve in ſafety.
9. Then ſhalt thou underſtand righteouſneſs, and judgment, and †the rectitudes of every, foreign Chald. foreign, Syr.equity, yea every good path.
Paraphrase. 9. This then is the ſure courſe (viz. diligence, prayer, &c.) to arrive to that experimental knowledge of all vertue, whether that of juſtice and charity, in private life, or uprightneſs in publick adminiſtrations (ſee v. 3. and Note a) and to diſcern the agreeableneſs of exact walking (and of all vertuous practice) to the eternal laws of reaſon and Religion, that are planted in man's heart by God, and to become able to ſteer thy whole life by thoſe excellent rules of all ſorts, and never tranſgreſs any of them.
10. When wiſedom entreth into thy heart, and knowledge is pleaſant unto thy ſoul;
11. Diſcretion ſhall ‖keep a guard over thee, foreignpreſerve thee, underſtanding ſhall keep thee.
Paraphrase. 10, 11. And when by theſe cloſer and more intimate embraces, by the conſtant practice of vertue, and experience of the ſweetneſs of it, (which at a diſtance is never diſcerned, wicked men knowing not what belongs to it) thou comeſt to eſteem it as it really is, the moſt deſirable, valuable, and even ſenſual pleaſing courſe, (eſpecially if compared with the unſatisfying empty joys, or rather vexations and burthens of the fleſh and world) this very apprehenſion of it, if there were nothing elſe, will prove a conſideration of great efficacy, a competent armature againſt all temptations, whenſoever any the moſt ſpecious, promiſing, ſenſual, or ſecular bait ſhall invite and ſolicit thee out of thy road of obedience, and adherence to the commands of God, thine own judgment will aſſure thee that it bids thee to thy loſs, that by catching after that phaſme or ſhadow of falſe pleaſure, thou ſhalt deprive thy ſelf of the moſt real, ſolid, and durable joys which are all made up in the conſtant exerciſes of all moral and Chriſtian duties, humility, meekneſs, mercifulneſs, peaceableneſs, contentedneſs, temperance, purity, juſtice, &c. and are not to be found in the confines of the contrary vices, which beſide the wounds and gratings of an accuſing conſcience, bring all manner of uneaſineſs and diſſatisfactions along with them, nay even pains and torments after them. And this, one would think, ſhould be ſufficient to uphold and continue us unchanged in the ways of vertue, to fortifie us againſt all ſuch treacherous competitours, as come on purpoſe to rob, and waſte, and undoe, when they moſt pretend and undertake to gratifie and oblige us,
12. To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that ſpeaketh *ſubverſions (ſee Deut. 29.23.) or perverſneſſes, v.14. foreignfroward things.
Paraphrase. 12. To ſecure us from the ſnares that tempters are ready to lay for us, ch. 1.10. and keep us from imitating or aſſociating with them in their unlawfull deſtructive practices, deſigned to ſhed others blood, but generally redounding to their own miſchief, bringing that on themſelves which they projected againſt others, ch. 1.18, 19.
13. †The LXXII. here add the inter…ection, foreign, &c. O ye that leave, by may of exclama…i… … expoſtulation.Who leave the paths of uprightneſs to walk in the ways of darkneſs.
Paraphrase. 13. Conſidering what a †The LXXII. here add the inter…ection, foreign, &c. O ye that leave, by may of exclama…i… … expoſtultion.ſtrange irrational choice it muſt needs be to forſake what is ſo infinitely valuable and advantagious, in exchange for that which is ſo deteſtable and deſtructive, even the ſame that it would be to leave a direct lightſome way, that conducts to all bliſs, for a melancholy gloomy crooked path, that leads to eternal miſery.
14. Who rejoyce to doe evil, and delight in the frowardneſs of the wicked.
Paraphrase. 14. Can there be any thing ſo diſtant from right judgment, ſo contrary to all even humane meaſures, as to delight and take joy in doing things that are moſt deteſtable, without any intuition of gain or advantage by them, to place a felicity in affronting God and nature, and going on obſtinately and imperſwaſibly in ſuch abhorred fruitleſs courſes, which, beſide the pleaſure of oppoſing all that is good, (which none but devils, one would think, ſhould have taſte of, or appetite to) have nothing elſe to recommend them to any man?
15. Whoſe ways are crooked, and they ‖ſcornfull, obſtinate, perverſe▪ foreignfroward in their paths.
Paraphrase. 15. Were they not as crooked and diſtorted as their ways are, were not their hearts ſet wholly on oppoſing and deſpiſing of all that is good, and perverſly bent never to hearken to any ſober counſels, it were impoſſible they ſhould thus like and love their wandrings and prevarications, ſuch chargeable gainleſs variations from their duty.
16. To deliver thee from the ſtrange woman, even from the ſtranger which *ſmootheth her foreignflattereth with her words.
Paraphrase. 16. The very ſame method will fortifie thee againſt all other the moſt enticing enſnaring ſins, particularly that of unlawfull embraces; The vertue either of virginal or conjugal chaſtity is certainly ſo much more pleaſant and deſirable, than the liberties of various luſt, be it recommended to thy phancy by never ſo many flattering and falſe colours, that thy own judgment and diſcretion, v. 11. is ſufficient to arm thee againſt any ſuch, be they never ſo inſinuating, propoſals.
17. Which forſaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
Paraphrase. 17. Were there nothing but the breach of the conjugal faith and perjurious falſeneſs that ſuch commiſſions are guilty of, thi… were enough to avert any man from this ſin with another man's wife; The adultereſs is a moſt ſcandalous diſloyal perſon▪ breaks through the greateſt obligations both of duty and kindneſs, juſtice and gratitude to her lawfull and tender hu…band, and having entred into mutual ſacramental bands, a moſt ſtrict covenant to him, and vow to God of continuing her love and faith to him conſtant and undefiled, ſhe moſt traiterouſly violateth all theſe obligations, and thou that joyneſt with her in the ſin, art, beſide thine own, guilty of all her falſeneſſes.
18. For her houſe enclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
Paraphrase. 18. But beſide the horribleneſs of the ſin, the puniſhments which it muſt expect to meet with, may moſt reaſonably deter any man from it; All the plagues and miſeries of this world, and rottenneſs and wretched diſeaſes and death, are the ordinary attendants of it; Whilſt men are in purſuit of this ſin it ſpeaks them fair, v. 16. promiſes them pleaſure at a diſtance, but they that are thus enſnared find …n abyſs of infelicities inſeparably annext to it.
19. None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.
Paraphrase. 19. And beyond all, one curſe attends this ſin, that it is a kind of hell to them that are once engaged in it; As to him that is once in thoſe chains of darkneſs, there is no poſſibility of returning to a capacity of any tolerable, much leſs happy life; ſo thoſe that are any thing deeply immerſt in this ſin of adultery ſeldom ever get out of it again; Experience ſhews of ſuch, how unſucceſsfull all calls of God (the moſt powerfull methods of his grace and providence) are, to diſintangle them, or to recover them to a life of ſobriety and piety.
20. That thou mayeſt walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
Paraphrase. 20. And as this preſcribed method cannot doubt to be ſucceſsfull in fortifying thee againſt the temptations forementioned, ſo it will be abundantly ſufficient to ſecure thy perſeverance in all piety, by conſidering how much a more †foreign, If they would have walked in good paths, they would have found the ways of righteouſneſs ſmooth. LXXII.eaſie, nay delectable joyous courſe it is, v. 10. than that which either the world or fleſ… can tempt thee to.
21. For the upright ſhall dwell in the land, and the perfect ſhall remain in it.
Paraphrase. 21. Piety having the promiſes even of this life, a laſting poſſeſſion of comforts and felicities here, and a firm tenure in the providence of God, which hath the diſpoſing of health and life it ſelf, and will ſecure each of them to thoſe that approve their ſincerity to him in an unblamable courſe, as long as he ſhall ſee either of theſe to be really beſt for them.
22. But the wicked ſhall be cut off from the earth, and the tranſgreſſours ſhall be rooted out of it.
Paraphrase. 22. Whereas exciſion and extirpation are the proper portion of wicked men, either by the hand of humane juſtice lighting upon them, or by the flying roll, the curſe from God, which inviſibly purſues them and their families till they are utterly rooted out; (the temporary proſperity of ſome wicked men being no real exception to the truth of this Aphoriſm.)
Annotations on Chap. II.
foreignV. 3. If thou crieſt] In this place the Chaldee hath an obſervable unexpected paraphraſe, foreign, &c. and ſhalt cry mother to underſtanding: The propriety of the paraphraſe no otherwiſe founded in the text, than either that the Hebrew foreign, if] is ſo near foreign, mother] or that crying, or calling foreign, to underſtanding, ſhould refer to a child calling to, or after a mother, not asking any thing elſe but onelyonly the anſwer or preſence of the mother. Parallel to this is the Apoſtle's phraſe of foreign, calling father, a filial addreſs of adherence, and dependence on God, ſeeking his favour and preſence, or if it be but the kindneſs of a fatherly look towards them; and not onelyonly calling, but crying, (with the ſame paſſion that Eſau did his father's bleſſing, when he lift up his voice and wept, and ſaid, Bleſs me, even me alſo, O my Father) which, as it is an expreſſion of fondneſs, and ſome impatience in the poor child, ſo it is a fit deſcription of that vehement deſire of grace or wiſedom here, which is a ſpecial ingredient in piety.
foreignV. 7. Sound wiſedom] The Hebrew foreign, from which the Greek foreign is but lightly changed, being derived from foreign, eſt, ſignifies eſſence, ſubſiſtence, any thing that really is, of what ſort ſoever, as the context ſhall determin it. So Prov. 18.1. foreign, in every thing, the LXXII. reade foreign, in every occaſion. So Job 5.12. they render foreign, true, He diſappointeth the devices of the crafty, ſo that their hands perform not, foreign, that which is true, or that which they deſigned to themſelves, he taketh the wiſe in their own craftineſs, i. e. all their enterpriſes miſcarry, and are unſucceſsfull, and bring miſchief upon themſelves. Elſewhere they render it foreign, help, as Job 6.13. and ſo it agrees with foreign, my help, in the former part of that verſe. So Job 12.13. with him is ſtrength, foreign, they reade foreign, ſtrength and power; Again Job 30.22. they render it foreign, deliverance; and ſo here, and Prov. 8.14. foreign, ſafety, (which bears the beſt proportion to foreign, fortitude, which there is ſet anſwerable to it) but Prov. 3.21. foreign, counſel, to agree with diſcretion, that is joyned with it. In moſt of theſe places, though not here, the Chaldee render it by foreign, wiſedom, or ſomewhat the like, and from them our Engliſh ſeem to take their rendring, (either becauſe they placed ſolidity, and ſubſiſtence, or perſiſtence, onelyonly in that; or becauſe by wiſedom they meant the aſſiſtences of God's ſpirit, which is help and ſtrength, and deliverance, and ſafety, and counſel to all that truly depend on that.) So in that difficult place, Mic. 6.9. The voice of the Lord crieth unto the city, foreign, and eſſence or ſubſiſtence ſhall ſee thy name, the Chaldee reade foreign and the Doctours ſhall fear thy name, for which the vulgar have ſalus erit, &c. deliverance ſhall be to thoſe that fear thy name. By all this I ſuppoſe it appears, that this word is of a great latitude; and though as ſignifying eſſence and ſubſiſtence, it may proverbially denote true wiſedom, which is moſt ſuch, as moſt partaking of the divine being, and eternity, yet by the circumſtances of the context, it will oft be reaſonable to aſſign it other interpretations, and ſo here it will beſt accord with the buckler, that follows, and with analogy to the other forecited places, that it ſhould be thought to ſignifie help, or ſafety, or aſſiſtence, or deliverance, as a proof of his giving wiſedom and grace in the former verſe. The learned Caſtalio renders the place, probis profectum reſervat, he reſerves proficiency to the honeſt, according to that of our Saviour, reſembling the honeſt heart to the good ground, where the ſeed thrives and brings forth moſt plentifully in the harveſt; and this well agrees to one notion of the word which Kircher gives it, for ſucceſſus, thriving, or good ſucceſs: and thus it is very conſonant to the foreign, or rational importance of the place, where from the beginning of the Chapter he was ſhewing that upon the uſe of thoſe means, which every honeſt heart will apply it ſelf to, diligence, and prayer, &c. true piety will certainly be had; of which this is then a perfect proof, for God will proſper, or give good ſucceſs, and ſo growth and proficiency in piety, to all that are thus qualified, and will be a buckler to them to defend them from all aſſaults of danger. The Syriack render it foreign, which from foreign or foreign, that in Piel ſignifies both ſuſtentavit and speravit, may note either help or hope; to the latter of which agrees the Helleniſtical notion of foreign, Heb. 11.1. and elſewhere, for confident expectation which is exactly anſwerable to the origination of foreign, from foreign, to ſubſiſt, or be; When all is conſidered, the literal rendring may be the beſt, He layeth up ſubſtance for the righteous, (the Interlinear eſſentiam) as that is all one with true riches, by which that abundance of grace is expreſt by Chriſt, which he hath promiſed to give to thoſe that make uſe of the talent of preventing grace, which he gives them to negotiate with; and this conteins in it all the other forementioned notions of help, and ſafety, and confidence, and preſervation, and true wiſedom, as that ſignifies the grace of Chriſt. What hath been ſaid of this word, is alſo to be applied to the Verb foreign from whence it is derived, which is, chap. 8.21. uſed as a Noun, foreign, to cauſe to inherit ſubſtance, foreign, being, ſubſiſtence, ſay the LXXII. foreign, many years, ſay the Chaldee, but the Syriack foreign, hope.
In this Chapter there are theſe variations of the LXXII. from the Hebrew.
After verſe ſecond there is this addition, foreign, but thou ſhalt apply it for inſtruction to thy ſon, i. e. apply thy heart to underſtanding for that end, to inſtruct thy ſon, merely as a gloſs or explication of the phraſe precedent.
V. 9. foreign by the punctation ſeems to be taken for a verb, and ſo is rendred diriges, thou ſhalt direct, whereas taking it for a noun in the accuſative caſe plural, it is exactly anſwerable to the Hebrew foreign, rectitudes, and then follows by appoſition foreign, all good paths.
V. 10. For foreign, ſhall be pleaſant, they reade foreign, ſhall ſeem good; merely a paraphraſe, the pleaſantneſs of wiſedom being the apparent goodneſs to the ſoul.
V. 12. For foreign, perverſeneſſes they reade foreign, nothing faithfull, which is no unfit paraphraſe.
V. 13. For foreign, who leave, they reade foreign, O ye that leave] beginning a new period, and they ſeem to be moved thereto by the change of the number, the man that ſpeaketh, v. 12. and here who leave] in the plural; But ſuch changes of the number are ordinary in theſe Books.
V. 15. For foreign, perverſe in their paths] they reade foreign, their paths are crooked; An eaſie figure, by crookedneſs of paths, to ſignifie the ſins of thoſe that walk in them.
V. 16. For foreign, from a ſtrange woman, they reade foreign, from a ſtraight way; It is not eaſie to conjecture by what miſtake, unleſs for foreign, they reade foreign. Having made this change, they proceed to alter the whole ſenſe, for foreign, from a ſtrange woman which hath ſweetned her words, they reade foreign, alien from a right mind, reading perhaps foreign. All this by connecting the beginning of this verſe with the end of the former, (whereas it begins a new ſenſe, in coherence with v. 12, &c.) for ſo after the mention of crooked paths, v. 15. they render foreign, to deliver thee, by foreign, to remove thee far, which being done, they thought it neceſſary to render that a ſtraight way, from whence the crooked paths removed them. This being done, the Tranſcribers found it neceſſary to add at the end of this verſe, foreign, ſon let not evil counſel apprehend thee] to ſupport what follows in the Hebrew of the ſtrange woman. (But theſe words are not found in many Greek Copies, and certainly were not in that from whence the Arabick tranſlated.) In all this though the original ſenſe of the ſtrange woman be loſt, yet another good ſenſe, which the words bear not, is ſubſtituted in the ſtead of it. Symmachus's rendring is literal, foreign, from a ſtrange woman, from a ſtranger, whoſe words are ſmooth, or ſlippery, through which 'tis eaſie to fall.
V. 17. For foreign, the guide, they reade foreign, doctrine, in conſequence to their former change, when for the ſtrange woman, they rendred evil counſel.
V. 18. For foreign, to the dead, they reade foreign, near hades with the gyants, (from the double notion of foreign, for the dead and for gyants,) which ſeems to be two interpretations put together, or if not, the ſame word twice rendred.
V. 19. For foreign, of life, they reade foreign, ſtraight (which is the ſenſe, though not the words, the ſtraight paths being the paths of life,) adding moreover, foreign, for they are not apprehended by the years of life] by way of paraphraſe, to ſhew the mutual dependence between ſtraight paths and long life.א
V. 20. For foreign, that thou mayeſt walk, they reade foreign, for if they had walked, and inſtead of foreign, keep, they reade foreign, they had found, from the affinity betwixt finding and keeping.
V. 22. For foreign, the wicked, they reade foreign, the ways of the wicked, by way of paraphraſe, and in conſent with Pſal. 1.6.