Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 4 · Proverbs · Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
IF thou beest a man given to the appetite, put a knife to thy throat, &c. Here is a charge against gluttony, to which some men of great appetites Vers. 2.are very apt, when they are at good cheare; Heb. for these words, If thou beest a man given to the appetite, it is, If thou be master of a soule. The vulg. If thou hast thy soule in thy power. It it to be understood as a precept against gluttony, as many Expositors take it, the sense is plaine, refraine thy selfe at a feast, and be not tempted by delicious meats and drinkes to excesse, as thou wouldest keepe thy soule from destruction, for he is foreign the master of his soule, that keepes it from coming under the power of evill lust, the being overcome of which, is to be brought into thraldome, and so to inevitable destruction; 2 Pet. 2. 19.wherefore the Translation should goe thus, Put thy knife to thy throat, if thou wouldest be master of thy owne soule; that is, keep the power of it to salvation, and not betray it to so base a thing as gluttony and drunkennesse, to thy destruction. It seemeth to me not to be unlike to that of our Lord, If thy right eye offend thee plucke it out, and cast it from thee, so if thy appetite offend thee, cut thy throat rather with thy owne knife, then that it should doe so to the indangering of thy soule, because the soule is farre more precious then this life, and therefore to kill the one, to save the other, is wisdome, and to indulge the one, and destroy the other, extream folly. Yet this is not spoken, as though in any case one might cut his owne throat, God forbid, for such dye in the foule sinne of bloud-shed; and so there is no mercy for them, no more then for Judas, Saul, or Achitophel, it Note. being never heard, that any faithfull, but desperate persons did thus, and if by faith one be saved, then they that end their lives in despaire, are certainly damned, and this be spoken by the way against the dangerous tenet of some, that some selfemurtherers may be saved, whereby it is to be feared, that some have been animated to this most unnaturall sin. But a man subject to this temptation is bidden rather then yeeld unto it, to cut his owne throat, to shew in what detestation he should have this grosse sinne, so that if thou abhorrest from cutting thine owne throat, Note. thou must abhorre here-from, it being all one to be a glutton and a drunkard, and a murderer of a mans selfe, and that not onelyonly in respect of everlasting life, but of this present life also, because many diseases, which are mortall, are gotten by surfeiting, the pleuresie, the dead-palsey, the dropsie appoplexie, burning-feavers, the painfull-gout, shaking palsies, losse of appetite, and wit, and dimnesse of the sight before the time.
Some there are, that understand this of speaking, because a man speakes through his throat, when thou sittest downe with a Ruler, who makes a great shew of love unto thee in inviting, and sumptuously feasting thee, beware lest when thy heart is merry with wine and good cheare, words fall from thee, whereby advantage may be taken against thee, for Princes sometimes invite for a colour to intrap their guests, as Absalom did Amon, and Richard 2. King of England the Duke of Buckingham, Arundel, and Warwicke, and then tooke and clapt them up in prison. And the rather they incline to this, because the Ancients had their Symposia, or Philosophical feasts, wherein they sitting downe together, feasted one another with witty sayings, and discourses, as was touched in the Preface.
Lastly, some expound this mystically of coming to the Lords Table, who is The mystery.the Lord and Ruler over all, and of the care that every one should have that cometh hither, as thou wouldest be master of thy soule, and not lose it, now put thy knife to thy throat, be cautelous and circumspect, as about a matter of life and death, because he that eateth unworthily eateth damnation to himselfe, and so 1 Cor. 11.putteth a knife, as it were, to his owne throat to kill himselfe. But if it be taken thus, how shall we understand the next words?
Desire none of his dainties, for they are deceitfull meat, unlesse we shall say, they Vers. 3.are deceitfull, because they that sit downe here, do by this precious and dainty thing deceive themselves, by placing confidence in the bare eating in respect of salvation, taking no care about eating and drinking worthily, or unworthily. I conclude, that the first exposition is most genuine, this last one made besides the intent of the Writer, yet such, as unto which it may be not unprofitably drawn, and the like may be said of the middlemost exposition also.
Labour not to be rich, cease from thine owne wisdome, &c. Vulg. Put a Vers. 4, 5.measure to thy wisdome, which is expounded thus, Although I have before commended the wise, and the industrious, saying, that they should have riches and plenteousnesse, yet let none grounding hereupon, labour after riches and abundance in this world, having attained to a competent estate, and being supplied with necessaries for this life, but now cease using his wits this way more, lest that which was before but necessary frugality, be turned into base and damnable covetousnesse. But the Hebr. word is, Cease from thy understanding; the meaning yet may be the same, seeing that man ceaseth from using his wits about this or that, who puts a measure thereunto. Worldly wisdome, which is here spoken of, putteth a man on, the more he hath to labour for the more; but this is here forbidden, and therefore to doe so is a sinne, even the sinne of covetousnesse.
Moreover, worldly wisdome puts a man on by wit, without taking paines in a lawfull Calling, to seeke riches, as doth the Mountebank, the Cheater, the Gamester, the crafty Lawyer, the Stage-player, and the jeaster, together with all those that use any fraud in buying, and selling, falsifying weights, mingling things unprofitable with profitable, &c. yet these kindes of men labour also, for they work with their wits, by circumventing others to inrich themselves, and therefore it is aptly said unto them, Labour not to be rich, but cease from thine owne understanding.
The words following are a reason, why we should not labour for riches, any more then our necessity requireth, they are nothing; and, Wilt thou set thine eyes Vers. 5.then upon them? for, riches have their wings, and fly away as an Eagle, to Heaven. The vulgar, Lift not up thine eyes to riches, which thou canst not have, Hebr. Wilt thou make thine eyes to fly to it, and it not? whereunto if we adde by way of supplement to be had, and it is not to be had; it will be the same in effect with vulgar Latine, and then the meaning is, Looke not after the getting of such riches, as are not to be had or gotten lawfully; That is, either by covetous labouring after them, when thou hast no want, or imploying thy wits to deceit; for, such riches have their wings like an Eagle, and fly away to Heaven; That is, they suddenly fly away, as an Hawke, being by thee never seene more; as the Faulkenor having lost his Hawke, being flowne from him; for so goods ill gotten soone vanish, and if their place be lookt for, in his house that is greedy of gaine, it is no where to be found; and therefore a comparison is here fitly made, with Eagles feathers, for of them Albertus writeth, That being laid amongst other feathers, they doe in a short time corrupt, and consume them, as he saith, that he had Albertus Magnus.tried by experience in Goose feathers; so ill gotten goods consume those that are well gotten, be the ill gotten never so few, for which he saith, that one feather of an Eagle doth it.
Some also expound the flying to Heaven of returning to God, from whom they came at the first, by him to be disposed of, taking them from the covetous, and deceiver, and giving them to others. If we understand according to the New Translation, and it is nothing, then the vanity of riches in this world are hereby set forth, Wealth is as a thing of nothing, and therefore not worthy to be lookt after, and the transitorinesse of worldly goods, they are suddenly gone oft-times, as the Eagle upon her wing soareth up aloft, flying soone out of sight, I take it to be meant of riches ill gotten, because they that are well gotten are said to be Gods blessing, and such as have them are promised that they shall inherite them, and leave them to their children after them.
And of ill gotten goods Chrysostome saith, They are as Leaven, which although Chrys.but a little, leaveneth an whole lump of Dough, so they corrupt all the rest. A rich man then, that thus getteth worldly goods, may lock them up, and make them as sure as he can, but there is a strong thiefe, Covetousnesse within, that will breake open all his locks, and he shall loose them againe.
Eate not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, for as he thinketh in his heart. so is he; Vulg. In similitudine arioli & conjectoris, but the Hebrew is, as New Vers. 6, 7.Translation; the vulgar therefore not regarding the words, seemeth to set forth this as the sence: He is like unto a Wizzard, who conjectureth at things, and speakes accordingly; so he, when thou art eating with him, biddeth thee eate, and drinke but meaneth not so, because he conjectureth, that thou dost so by him, when he is at thy house, and this agreeth well to the reading in the New Translation, as he thinketh, so is he; he thinketh thee to be one, that speakes in this kinde, Contra animi sententiam, and so he speaketh to thee.
But who is the man of the evill eye here spoken of? Some say, The envious man; some, a base niggardly man, that pineth at the consuming of his meate and drinke by his friends, and neighbours, that come in unto him in love, and good will, and he seemeth to be likewise affected to them.
The morsell that thou hast eaten thou shalt vomite up, and loose thy sweet Vers. 8.words; That is, by reason of his envious eye, his meat, when thou perceivest this, will be unto thee but as meat, which thou canst not digest, it will doe thee no good and the good words which thou usest in thanking him, and being merry with him, thou shalt lose, for thou shalt finde, that all thy good cheare was not worthy so much as thankes: whereas Lavater hence gathereth, that discourses at table Lavater.should not be grave, and about matters Theologicall, but pleasant and merry Christ, whose example must bee our imitation, was not so strict, when one at table gave occasion of such serious discourses, by saying, It is good to eat bread in the Kingdome of heaven; for he tooke the opportunity to utter that parable of Luke 14, 15.him, that made a marriage feast, as he sat at table, wherein he discoursed of matters Note. most grave and divine. And before that, he gave instructions about feasting directing what guests to bid, and to use all humility at such meetings. From whence we may rather gather, that at meat all the time is not to be spent in merry talke, but some good, and serious discourses ought then to be entred into, which may be for edification, as we are required that all our speeches should be, and not Eph. 4 29.filthy, nor jeasting.
Speake not in the eares of a foole, for he will despise the wisdome of thy Vers. 9. Matth. 7. 7.words. To the same effect our Lord biddeth, Cast not pearles before swine, fools understand not acute and sublime discourses, or sayings, and therefore they deride them as vaine; but we are not to count every one a foole that is not presently benefited by our teachings, but such as refuse to be taught, or shew manifest contempt; for to seeke by instruction to better such, were as if a man laboured to joyne againe together the parts of an earthen pot being broken, or as if a man should Eccl. 22.speak to one in a dream, or as Lavater hath it, sow his seed upon barren and thomy ground.Lavater.
Enter not into the field of the fatherlesse, for their redeemer is mighty, and he shall plead their cause with thee. Before these words he saith, Remove not Vers. 10.the ancient bounds, Hebr. foreign the bound of eternity, whereby is intimated, that he who goeth about to wrong the fatherlesse of their inheritance, medleth not with that, which is setled not for a time, but for ever, and therefore he shall both lose his labour, and have God for his enemy, who will stand to maintain it, though the poore orphan being a childe, and weak, cannot.
Verse 13. 14. Propound nothing else but correction-giving to children, of which see before, Chap. 22. 15.
My sonne, if thou be wise, my heart shall rejoyce, even mine, yea, my reines Vers. 15.shall rejoyce, when thy lips speake right things. This is spoken according to Chap. 10. 1. A wise sonne maketh a glad father, and the word I is iterated, even I, for the greater emphasis; some thinke it is supplied thus, even I rejoyce, as in a thing, wherein I am nearely concerned, because the sons or schollars profiting in wisdome and knowledge is by the father or master counted as his own profiting, so wel-pleasing and delightfull it is unto him; according to that of Seneca, I never take Seneca.so much pleasure in knowledge when it is inclosed onelyonly in my owne breast, as when I have some fellowes to partake hereof together with me. So Paul calleth the Phil. 4.Philippians his crowne and his joy.
Let not thy heart envy sinners, but be thou in the feare of the Lord all the Vers. 16, 17.day long. Vers. 17. For surely there is an end, and thy expectation shall not be cut off. Against envying the wicked in their prosperity, see Psal. 73. for fearing God, and constantly holding on so to do, in saying thus he implieth troubles, and sufferings, which are oft-times to the righteous, when the wicked prosper; but he exhorteth to persist in fearing God all the days of thy life notwithstanding this, and that upon this ground, for surely there is an end, &c. both the prosperity of the wicked shall have an end, and the miseries of the righteous, and which is more then that, that which through hope thou expectest in the world to come shall not faile thee, but be accomplished in Gods good time.
Here an application is made of that which was said Chap. 20, 1. against drunkennesse, Vers. 20. Vers. 21.unto which, riotous eating of flesh is added also. And the drunkard and glutton are both alike threatned with poverty. And it is added, Drousinesse shall cloath a man with rags because drunkennesse and gluttony by vapours ascending to the brain cause drousiness: against gluttony also it was spoken before in this Chap. v. 1.
Buy the truth and sell it not, also wisdome, instruction, and understanding. Vers. 23.Having in the verse before exhorted to hearken to father and mother, by whose wise counsell a young man may be guided in the right way of truth, now he biddeth buy the truth, that is, if it cannot be attained otherwise, as for the most part it cannot by parents, because many of them are very ignorant and corrupt, yet bee at cost with other teachers, of whom thou mayest learne the truth of God, and bee made wise and learned to salvation; and because young children have neither the wit, nor money wherwith to make this purchase, it is the duty of parents to doe it for them, intending more with their purses going this way to make them wise, then to make them gay in apparrel, and well monied in their purses, as most doe, to their childrens undoing for ever. But now take notice of it (O yee parents) and take notice of it (yee children also) that true wisdome is the pearle of more value then all other pearles, as Christ setteth it forth, and therefore Matth. 13.buy this, although others must goe for it, yea, even all that is precious in this world, some money for instruction, and all, and life also, if need requireth, for Note. Christ, the wisdome of God, and the truth, as he is called. Sell it not, that is, on the contrary side sell it not for a little money, by with-holding whereof thy childe wants instruction, or for worldly gaine disposing of thy selfe, where thou wantest frequent preaching, or for love of worldly wealth forsaking the truth in any thing. For he that doth either of these, sels this invaluable pearle for drosse and dung, as Esau did his birthright for a messe of pottage.
Lastly, to shew that truth and true wisdome are inseparable, he addeth to these words, sell not the truth, also wisdome, instruction, and understanding. Sell away the truth, as hath beene said, and sell away wisdome, buy it not, and buy not him, and so live and dye a foole, and perish everlastingly.
Verse 24. 25. Are onelyonly an application in generall to all parents of that which he had said, verse 15, 16. what a joy it is to all parents to have wise children, and therefore it is againe repeated to put them on to use the meanes, whereby they may be made such, as hath beene said, verse 23.
An whore is a deepe ditch, she is a narrow pit. Here is repeated the charge Vers. 27.against adultery often given before, especially Chap. 7. The Whore is said to be as a deepe ditch or pit, because he that falleth into this foule sinne, can as hardly get out againe, as one that falleth into such a pit, but must there lye and perish for ever, so greatly doe fleshly pleasures bewitch the whoremonger.
Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babling Vers. 29.and wounds without cause, and rednesse of eyes? they that tarry long at the wine, &c. From hence to the end of the Chapter, Salomon strikes at the root of Adultery, and fleshly lusts, viz. drunkennesse; for it is vaine for him to be warned against it, that is a wine-bibber; wherefore he sheweth both many other evills that shall befall the drunkard, and then this of Adultery, and Fornication also, verse 33.
Thine eyes shall looke after strange women. Here is an enumeration of all sorts Vers. 33.of evills which are incident to drunkards; 1. Woe and sorrow through diseases and sicknesse, which drunkards fall into, and poverty. 2. Contentions, brawling and wounds; for drunkards commonly are quarrelsome, and being disabled by drinking they goe by the worst, if they provoke others to fighting, although oft-times they suddenly mischiefe, and sometimes kill and slay those with whom. 3. Rednesse of eyes, and of face also, whereby the drunkard is much deformed, looking speckled and bloughty, and his face beset with rubies, more like a monster, then a man. 4 It biteth like a Serpent, and stings like an Adder, that is, bringeth Vers. 32.sudden death, as happeneth to him that is thus stung, so that wine and strong drinke are now turned into poyson. 5. He is like one sleeping upon the top of a Mast Vers. 34.and lying in the midst of the Sea, that is, staggering and reeling to and fro, and as sicke of the turning sicknesse, all things seeming to turne round about him. 6. He is senselesse being stricken, and not feeling it, as the dead doe not, nor hee that is dead drunke. 7. He comes to an habit of drinking, When shall I awake? I Vers. 35.will seeke it yet againe; that is, notwithstanding all the miseries coming by excessive drinking, hee taketh no warning to breake off from this sinne, but is the more eagerly set upon it, when he hath beene drunken once, and againe, a thirst being bred in him, as in the hydropicall man, who having drunke now, desireth by and by to drinke againe, to the increase of his disease more and more.
Moreover amongst these evills, another, coming by drunkennesse, is inserted, which is dangerous both to body and soule; that is, fleshly lusts, unto which abundant drinking of wine and strong drinke stirreth up, Thine eyes shall looke after strange women. So that he who would not bee in danger of falling into the foule sinne of Adultery, had need to flye drunkennesse: For there is a relation of one that was tempted to Adultery, and then to murther, but hee abhorring from both, fell into the sinne of drunkennesse, and being drunken, committed them both; for hereby a man is made a beast, and so doth that which is naturall to him, how evill and abominable so ever. But let every one that delighteth in drinking, be warned by this,
Looke not upon the wine when it is red, when it moveth it selfe aright, and Vers. 31.goeth downe pleasantly, for to him that doth, shall be woe, that is, for his laughing over his cups, he shall have weeping and lamentation, but no eye shall pity him, neither shall his teares doe him any good; for the Serpent here spoken of, some understand that called dipsas, with which who so is stung desireth to drinke till he bursteth.
Lastly, these words, When shall I awake? are expounded thus, When will it bee morning, that I may rise, and goe to drinking againe? And this doth well agree with that Esa. 5. Woe to them that rise up early to follow drunkennesse.