Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 4 · Proverbs · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
MY Sonne, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandements Vers. 1. Vers. 2.with thee; so that thou incline thine eare to wisdome, and thy heart to understanding, &c. In this Chapter are two parts, or things:
1. It is shewed how Wisdome may be attained, vers. 1, 2. &c. to vers. 10.
2. What the benefit of Wisdome is, from thence to the end of the Chapter; touching the first, To get wisdome; that is, Grace to turne from sinne, and to beleeve in Christ.
1. Thou must be humble to encline thine eare, to the voyce of Wisdome; that is, To hearken diligently to the Word preached and read, and not to be as most Hearers are, like stocks and blocks in the Congregation, shamelesly sleeping the time away, or sitting there without any attention, not having their eyes fastned upon the Preacher, as Christs Auditors are said to have been upon him, Luk. 4.when he taught in Nazareth, although their malice and infidelity hindered them from profiting, but upon other objects of vanity. He that would attaine wisdome 2 Tim. 3. 15.to Salvation by hearing, must contrariwise looke at nothing else, but make this his worke, by hearing to learne and understand more of the Will of God from time to time; and thus none wil doe, unlesse they be humble, to bend and bow to this teaching, acknowledging the great need thereof, being of themselves ignorant and so in danger of being drawn away to sin and errour to their destruction: For the humble God will teach; and Christ saith, Thou hast hidden these things Ps. 19.from the wise, and revealed them to babes; that is, from such as are wise in theirs owne conceit, and to such as are like little children in humility, as elsewhere he saith, Unlesse ye be converted and become as little children, ye cannot be saved. As into the low valleys the waters flow, and make the ground fruitfull; so the Spirit, which is as living water, into the humble heart. And therefore they that are Note. conccited of their owne knowledge, saying, that they know as much as the Preacher can teach them, are not onelyonly fools, but uncapable of this wisdome, and consequently of salvation.
2. Besides the eare, the heart must also be inclined, for many there are that heare with their eares, but incline not their hearts, in which they will not bow, not bend to that which they heare, thinking it enough outwardly to seem righteous, although wickednesse be still in their hearts. But these are taxed sharply by Christ, saying, Do not your almes before men, as hypocrites, verily I say unto you, they have Math. 6.their reward. Yet in another place, it is said, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, &c. Whereby it is meant, that although we Matth. 5. 16.ought not to doe good before men for vain-glory, yet to stir up others to doe good also, we may and ought, as Arboreus well noteth. So that when he saith, Hide Arboreus.my command with thee, pondering and considering of them in the heart is meant, as it is said, Hee that is wise will ponder these things; And this is said to be an hiding of them, to imply in what a precious account we have them, even as a treasure, as by and by followeth; And it is said, A treasure hid in a Psal. 107.field which a man finding hideth, and keeps under lock and key that he may never Matth. 13. 44.lose it; for so he that will be wise to salvation deals by the words of wisdome, they entring his heart dwell in him, and are never forgotten, but kept alwayes Col. 3. 16.there, that he may live, and do accordingly all the dayes of his life.
Yea if thou cryest after knowledge. Here followeth a third thing to be done, that we may get knowledge; we must pray, and that earnestly for it, for this is set Vers. 3.forth by crying; and in saying thus, it is implyed, both that we neither have wisdome, or understanding in us; neither can we attaine it of our selves, for men beg not for that which they have at home, neither doe they seek for it, but for what they want; but for this, if it be necessary for them, and they cannot subsist without it, they both call and cry, and crave, or else they perish, as hunger-starved persons beg for almes. Moreover it is implied, that God is not so difficult to be intreated for divine knowledge and grace, but that if we aske, he will give it us; as also James teacheth. Other things we may aske and not have, but this we shall assuredly, For, aske, saith he, and ye shall have, seeke, and ye shall finde. But as James also hath Jam. 1. 5. Jam. 4. 3.it, we must aske in faith, and not waver, and faith is not of all men, but to whom God giveth it. To this I say, that the faith indeed, which justifieth, is the speciall gift of God, and man cannot of himselfe attaine unto it; but there is a faith, which is a beleeving of that we heare, and may know by the visible works of God to be true, whereby a man beleeveth that there is a God, and that to bee true, which is taught in his word, for so it is said, The devill beleeveth and trembleth; yet neither is this faith meant by James, for this draweth not a man to Jam. 2.God, but driveth him from God; but a stedfast beleeving that there is a God, and that he is a rewarder of those that seek unto him, and this saith there must, and may be in every one, to whose ears the voice of Wisdome cometh, and then cry for wisdome, and attaine it without all doubt. For God, as Lavater hath it, is not like unto a man, who to make another thinke himselfe beholding to him, promiseth Lavater.him faire, saying, If thou hast need come to me, and I will lend thee this or that; but come to him in thy need, and then his offer appears to be but words, and no performances: For the rendring of the words here, Heb it is foreign If thou Beda. Hilar. in Ps. 118cryest to understanding; that is, saith Beda, to Christ the Son of God, the wisdome of the Father; but Hilary, by crying to Wisdome, understandeth a mans endeavouring with all his might by reading, meditating, and hearing, to come to Hugo, Dionys.this saving knowledge; for he saith, Wisdome is to be called upon, every office of reading is to be deputed to understanding. Hugo and Dionys. follow the sense already given, which is best, and therefore followed also by Lavater and others. And it may be rendred either, Call to wisdome, or for wisdome to God by earnest prayer; yet that of Hilary is also to be added, read and study for it. And it is to be noted, that it is crying and calling aloud that is here required; which that we Note. may do, we must take heed of all things that may weaken and dul our calling, that we cannot be so sonorous; and these things, according to the Philosopher are two, 1. Coldnesse; 2. Intemperance; for he that is hot and temperate in his dyet, and Aristotle.moderate in his passions, utters the loudest cry and call; frigid persons, and such as are filled with feare or griefe, or with overmuch meat and drinke, cannot speake to be heard far off: And by bidding, cry and call aloud to understanding, he intimateth that wisdome is far off from us, till we attaine unto it, and therefore not with an easie and soft call to be fetcht; wherefore if thou desirest to attaine it, take heed of all things that may oppresse thy voice when thou prayest, so that it cannot be heard, or prevail; take heed of coldnesse and deadnesse in prayer, and pray with fervency.
2. Of glutony and drunkennesse; and be abstemious, as Daniel by abstinence sought most anxiously the knowledge of things to come. It is a true saying of Hieron. Pinguis venter, macra mens.Hierome, A fat belly, a leane minde; that is, farcing and fatting the belly by following the appetite the minde is dulled, and made uncapable of understanding.
3. Of slavish feare and worldly griefe; and be temperate and moderate, as it is said, Phil. 4 4. Let your moderation be knowne to all men. Chrysost. speaking of Chrys Hom. 61. ad Pop.chaste persons, or such as make themselves Eunuchs for the Kingdome of heaven, saith, Incontinent persons are heavy or low voyced; but these Eunuchs in minde, Prov. 7.white in manners, lofty in voice; for so are the last words Greek, although in Lat…ne rendred; Mente sublimes, lofty in minde. The Adulterer then, and incontirent, cannot call shrill and loud enough for wisdome; for which he is set forth as an Oxe going to the slaughter-house, and a foole to the stocks.
If thou shalt seek for her as silver, and hid treasures; Vulgar, and dig Vers. 4.her out as treasures but the word signifieth to search, and because in searching for treasures hid in the earth, men dig, it is so rendred. The meaning is, If as men, that be worldly, spare for no labour to get money, whereby they may be inriched; thou likewise labourest for wisdome; And this is a fourth thing to be done to get wisdome. It is indeed the gift of God, and therefore to be begged, but as we beg and cry for it, so we must labour also: What paines do men take to get earthly treasures? they dig deep into the earth, they with great labour try their mettals to get a little silver; the Merchant with great hazard travelleth to the Indies for silver Horat. Per mare pauperiem fugiens per saxa per ignes Impiger extrem…s currit mercator ad Iudos. Ovidius. Plin. l. c. 6. Quot manus atteruntur ut unus …iteat articulus?and gold, and precious stones. Of this of the Merchant Horace speaks saying, The diligent Merchant runneth to the furthest Indies through rocks and fires, that he may get wealth, and not be pressed with poverty; where by fires he understandeth the Equinoctiall line, where the torrid Zone is, under which he passeth to the Indies; and Ovid, Itum est in viscera terrae, &c. Men goe into the bowels of the earth and dig up treasures, the irritaments of evill; And wity is that of Pliny, speaking of the paines taken by many to finde little precious stones to be set in rings; how many hands are worn, that one little joynt of the finger may shine? And yet treasures with so great labour attained, are not durable; for both they that have them are mortall, theeves may dig through and steale them, and in greatest extremity, they will stand them in no stead; that is, in time of sicknesse and death, and at the day of judgement. But the Treasures which we are here exhorted to get, are everlasting, and at these times, deliver the possessors thereof from all evill; And therefore with all intention and earnestnesse of minde to be laboured for all the dayes of our lives.
And here the note of Beda is good, shewing how we should labour for wisdome; viz. As they that dig for treasure cast out the earth, and make deep ditches in the Beda.ground, or pits, before they can come at it; so we must cast out of our hearts the love of the world, and cast these things as it were out, distributing and giving of our worldly goods to the poore, and lye low by humility in respect of our ignorances and sinnes. As also Seneca to finde some gold, we turne out abundance of Seneca.earth, so to get wisdome. And in this our labouring to get wisdome, we must be like unto the covetous man, in whom the desire of having, increaseth the more he hath, according to that common saying, Crescit amor nummi quantum ipsa pecunia crescit; The love of money increaseth as much as money it selfe; and as a godly learned man once said, Neither is a covetous man ever satisfied with Nec avarum pecunia ne{que} doctum cognitio rerum unquam replevit.riches, nor a learned man with knowledge. Neither doe covetous men only by just and lawful meanes seeke riches, but even by robbing and stealing, and by trade and deceit, although to get them they adventure their lives; so he that labours for Wisdome, if he liveth in a place where the study of Divine Learning is streightly forbidden, and there is danger of death to seeke after it, as was the case of Christians living under Heathen persecutors, and of those of the reformed religion under Papists, yet he by stealth in the night takes time to read and study for this, not passing for the danger incurred by so doing.
Touching the Similitude betwixt digging for treasures lying hid in the earth, and wisdome, it is also spoken, Job 28. and to finde out these treasures of silver or gold, men that have skill to doe it, as Agricola noteth, goe to waters that flow Georg. Agricola.out from mountaines, and there they observe the sands, diligently marking their colour and smell, and hereby they discover the metals, and their veines, through which those waters come, for they bring some of that metall with them.
Now the mountaines, at the feet of which the treasures of Wisdome issue out, saith Jerome, be the holy Doctors of the Church, who both in Life and Doctrine Hieron.set forth the true Word of God, by opening the mysticall places hereof, and living an heavenly life accordingly. To these then he must come seeking wisdome, and searching for it, that wil finde it, he must come to their preaching publickly, and to their writings in private, hearing, reading, and with great labour of the minde finde out this treasure lying herein; To this effect Salomon saith, The month of the righteous is a veine of life, out of which, as out of a rich veine of earth, wisdome Prov. 10. 11.to Salvation cometh; and not unlike to this is that of Malachy, The Priests lips shall preserve knowledge, and they shall enquire the Law at his Mal. 2. 7.mouth. And as men that seeke for treasure, although there be abundance, are not satisfied to take some away, or most of it, but they wil have all, and are carefull to leave none behinde, as Chrysostome reasoneth; so must we doe by this heavenly, Chrys. Hom. in orat. H.never leave searching till we have found it all out. And as to come to treasure no small paines must be taken, but the greatest labour that is, for such is diging, so to get wisdome. And lastly, as he that diggeth for treasure to get it out of the earth, to be inriched by it, diggs in his owne ground, for he that diggs in another mans, as the Civil Law saith, if he findes any treasure shal not have it, but the man in whose ground it is found; so we must every one labour for wisdome in our owne hearts, that knowledge lying there may be digged out to the beautifying and adorning of us with all rich graces of Justice, Temperance, Sobriety, Chastity, and Holinesse, and not to the inriching of others only, as many doe, saying to those that they teach, Ye must doe as I say, not as I doe; they count it a great glory to finde this treasure, but are themselves stil very poore, because they digge indeed, but digge not out, they doe fodere, not effodere, as the vulgar wel renders it.
Then thou shalt understand the feare of the Lord, &c. Here to shew, that a mans labour that seeketh for wisdome, as is aforesaid, shall not be lost; the Wise Vers. 5.man sheweth, that whosoever thus seekes it, shal finde both the feare of God, which was said before to be the beginning of it, and the knowledge of God; That is, of those things concerning his heavenly Majesty, and his Son Jesus Christ, which he hath revealed in his Word, and by faith he shal assuredly know Jesus Christ his Sonne to be his Saviour, in which two things the feare of God making a man to eschew evil, and to doe good, and in this knowledge of God standeth perfect wisdome. And it is to be noted, that in saying. Thou shalt understand the feare of the Lord, and finde the knowledge of God, for herein he proceedeth according to the Allegory before begun of finding silver and treasure, For it is observed by those that write of precious metals, or treasures hid in the ground, that where treasures were hid, they were wont of old to lay into the ground above them ashes or coales, so that he who went to digge for them first came at these, and hereby knew treasure to be neare; and for a Mine of Silver, they that digge first come to the head thereof, which is lesse precious, and then to the vast treasures lying there but more deepe; According to this it is here said, That he who seekes for wisdome shal first come at the feare of God, of which enough hath been said before, ch. 1. 7. and then to this understanding, to that as a necessary introduction and lesse precious, and then to this most rich treasure of knowledge and faith.
For the Lord giveth wisdome, out of his mouth comes understanding. Here Vers. 6.a reason is yeelded, why by crying and calling to God in prayer we should endeavour to attaine it, he is the Giver hereof, and therefore this is of him to be begged. Here is also a reason of that which was said of inclining our eares, and hearts, Out of his mouth understanding cometh; therefore to his speaking in the Ministery of his Word, our eares must be intent. And the next words imply a reason, why we must seeke for wisdome.
He layeth up sound wisdome for the righteous, a buckler to them that walke Vers. 7:uprightly. The vulgar; He shall protect the health of the righteous, and keepe them that walke simply, Hebr. He hideth wisdome for the righteous; the word foreign signifieth either wisdome or any other entity or matter, wherein there is a being and continuance, A field to them that walke perfectly; or we may read it thus, as cohering with us, where it is said, Out of his mouth cometh understanding, and the hidden thing; for so wisdome was before compared: he meaneth then, that this also cometh thence to the righteous, and if any man would know what good this is to them, in the next words it is shewed, It is a very shield to such as walke perfectly, or uprightly, the arrowes or darts of spirituall enemies cannot by reason hereof come at them to peirce or hurt them, neither shall the assaults of corporeall enemies prove hurtful to them, as is often shewed in the Psalmes, where God is set forth to be a Shield, a Rock, a Tower to fly to, and to cover the righteous under his wings; not that wicked persecutors shall never be able to kill their bodies, but not to hurt their soules; and that their very bodily lives shall be safe from their striking, but only when he giveth leave for the making of grace the more to shine in them, as he permitted Satan against Job. Hence Bona conscientia murus abeneus estcomes the saying, A good conscience is a brazen wall; and Zechary saith, That God is a wall of Brasse or Fire about his to defend them▪
He keepeth the paths of judgement, and preserveth the way of his Saints; Vers. 8.the vulgar: For paths of judgement hath pathes of righteousnesse, respecting rather the sence, then the signification of the word, because Judgement is sometime put for Justice, as it is here, and may well be, as the cause may be put for the effect. For whence cometh it to passe, that a man walketh in the paths of Justice, but that being wise he rightly judgeth this to be the way, wherein he ought to walke, and all other wayes to be wicked and evil? Now God is said to keep the paths of righteousnesse, because as Gregory Nazianzen hath it, He by induing Gregor. Nazian.them with wisdome makes them against all the wiles of Satan to know which be these wayes, that they may walke in them and not be mistaken. And he takes a Similitude from a Lion, who when he flyeth from those that pursue him, with his tayle doth put out by trouling it upon the ground, his foot-steps, that not being now discernable they may not know which way to goe after him to kill him. Know so, saith he, that so the roaring Lion, the Devill by his subtilty obscures the right way so, that I know not this to be it, or that; but then praying to God for wisdome, he keepeth and guideth me in the right way, making it plainly to appeare unto me, and so he doth to all his Saints, as is here said. Lavater renders it …er beneficorum, Hebr. it is foreign mercifull ones, and therefore it may well be rendred Saints, sith all the Saints are merciful and beneficous, or such as are daily doing good, and they are Hypocrites and no Saints, what shew of holinesse soever they make, that are not such; for this is the pure religion which maketh a Saint, To visite the fatherlesse and widowes in their adversity; That is, to Jam. 1. 2.shew mercy to the poore.
Then shalt thou understand justice and judgement, and equity, and every good Vers. 9. Lavater.way. Here according to Lavater, he beginneth to shew the benefit coming by wisdome. 1. Hereby a man shall be kept in a good way. 2. From all evill wayes. The good way is the way of justice; that is, of righteous and holy living, of judgement to doe every one in his place, as true judgement requireth betwixt man, and man, without respecting persons; of equity, being equall and eaven in all our dealings, not declining sometime to the right hand, and sometime to the left; But of this enough before, chap. 1. 3. onelyonly here is also every good way spoken of, and for way is put the word foreign, but v. 12. where the evill way is spoken of, that by wisdome he shall be kept from; it is foreign, betwixt which two August. putteth this difference; the first is the streight and narrow way; the other the broad way spoken of August.Matth. 7. 14. the first cometh of foreign signifying round; and the good way is by this word set forth, because it is uniform, and round without angles or crookednesse, ending where it begun, he that goeth in this way, being at the end of his dayes where he was at the beginning of his spirituall life; that is, in the true faith and fear of God: But evill wayes contrariwise are crosse, and winding and crooked they that walk herein, being now in the way of some seeming holinesse, but then in the way of prophanesse, now of loosnesse and dissolutenesse, then of covetousness, hypocrisie, or wil-worship, on the right hand of adding to the word then on the left of taking away herefrom: whereas the good way is said to be streight, and narrow, and yet spacious and large, Ps. 31. Thou host set my feet in a large place. August. thereupon August.saith, It is streight and hard to walke in, because at the first through the corruption of our nature hard to walke in, and for the difficulty of the precepts given us, but afterwards love and delight herein makes it large; and then as our Lord saith, His yoke is easie, and burthen light; So likewise Chrysost. Hom. 3. de Laz. And of this Muth. 11. 28. Vers. 10.delight in the good way it followeth here, v. 10. When wisdome entereth into thy heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soule: For naturally there is in us an enmity against the law of God, and whilst it is thus with us, we can neither understand Rom. 8. 9.the things of God as we ought, or walke in good wayes, or be kept out of evill. But when this is our delight, we shall both understand, and be kept from every evill way, as followeth.
Discretion shall preserve thee, and understanding keep thee, To deliver thee Vers. 11. 12.from the way of the evill man. In which words he further amplifieth, and maketh plaine what was said v: 8. He shall preserve the way of judgement. God as the efficient cause, and understanding as the instrumentall. For then is the way of judgement preserved, and the Saints way, when they are kept from all evill wayes, in the wayes of righteousnesse and holinesse. In saying, From the way of the evill man, and before, in every good way; he intimateth, that this life is as a way leading Note. either to everlasting life, or death, so that every one had need to take heed how he liveth; for as the way wherein he goeth, so is the end, as the life, so is the death Qualis vita fi…s ita.and end of his life; to those that lead a good life, joyfull and comfortable; to evill livers, dismall and terrible. And in saying, The evill man, and then varying the phrase, The man that speaketh froward things, He intimateth, that there are two sorts of wicked men, of whose wayes we had need to beware. 1. Evill livers, in exercise of riot, incontinency, robbery, murther; touching which sort he spake before, chap. 1. 8. swearers, cursers, and contentious persons, 2. Evill teachers, that by their deceivable teaching draw men out of the way of truth to errour, for both are alike pernicious to the soule, as is taught, 2 Thess. 2. 11. 2 Pet. 2. 1, 2. Now that we may be kept from the wayes of these evill men, discretion tells us that we should not keep company with them, but avoid them, as is commanded touching inordinate livers, 1 Cor. 5. and touching corrupt teachers, Tit. 3. 10. For he that would not be infected, will not come amongst infected persons; nor he that would not be stung, amongst Adders and Scorpions. But such are the wicked, their waies are also said to be waies of darkness, and they leave the paths of uprightness; Vers. 13.for that evill wayes are darke and dangerous, Christ sheweth, when he saith, This is the condemnation of the world, that men love darknesse more then the light, Joh. 3. 16.because their deeds are evill; that is, hereby it appears, that they live, and love to live in darknesse, because they love, and adhere to their sinnes. For that sinne is darknesse, St. John sheweth, saying, If we say, that we have fellowship with him, 1 Joh. 1. 5.and walk in darknesse, we lye, and do not the truth; whereby he meaneth, If we live in sin, as the next words shew, If we live in light, we have fellowship with him, and Vers. 16.the bloud of Jesus cleanseth us from all sin; that is, if we live holily and righteously as Christ did, who is therefore called light. And here in the next words, Vers. 14.
Who rejoyce to doe evill; wherein he goeth on to shew, whose wayes are wayes of darknesse. And he addeth, Vers. 15.Vers. 14.
Whose wayes are wicked, and they delight in frowardnesse. That by all this, two Vers. 15:sorts, viz. wicked sinners and evill teachers are set forth, all agree; it being hereupon observed also, that they are commonly wicked livers who teach perverse or froward things; or as the Sept. hath it, Who speake nothing to be beleeved; for they that Against arch Hereticks.teach even well, but live ill, are not thought worthy to be beleeved in that which they teach. And the things that false prophets teach, are well called perverse or froward, or things not to be beleeved, they being but as water made to looke Note. white by lime, as Ireneus compareth it, and offered for milke: so likewise Nazianzen. Iren de Haeres. l. 3. c. 19. Vincent. Lyr. in. Origen.And to an Apothecaries pot falsly written upon, as if it contained a medicine, but indeed is full of poyson. Lastly, as Origen hath it, like unto a false light set up to them that saile upon the sea in a darke night, pretending to guide them to a safe harbour, but indeed misleads them to rocks or quick-sands. And for their wayes of darknesse, Ireneus illustrates this by the similitude of a Fish called Capid, which casteth out an Inky-blacknesse about it, so that it cannot be seen, and by this meanes escapeth taking by the Fisher.
Touching the delight that the wicked take in evill doing, they are for this compared by One, to such as by cheaters are drawne to play at dice, and so to lose all their money whilst they are playing; so foolish men are drawne with pleasure to sin and errour, till they be utterly undone hereby, or as the Grashopper that sings Nazian. Oblectorque malis mortem in pectore fixam rideo sardonico risu.merily a little while, and then dyeth with hunger and cold: Therefore Nazianzen speaking in the person of such, saith, I do that which my mind hateth, and damneth and am delighted in evils and laugh at death fixed in my breast, by a Sardonian laughter; as Euseb. Emis. saith, That there is a certain herb, the juyce whereof being taken makes a man laugh till he dyeth; the like is also said of some touching certain poysonous Spiders, with which he that is poysoned, leaps and danceth till he dyeth.
For the last Epithite given unto evill wayes, froward or perverse; by Sept. crooked; by Symachus, crooked as the going of the Sea-crab, or doubtfull; by Aquila distorted, and such as are apt to bring a man out of the way. These all shew the manifold vilenesse of wicked wayes.
1. They are crooked, and full of windings and turnings; as the way of a Waggon, which the Wagoner, to avoid hillocks and rugged places turns this way and that; so the wayes of the wicked to avoid difficulties occurring, turne many times from the way wherein others travell.
Againe, for going like the Crab, it goeth not that way which it looketh, but towards the left side, or backward; so the wicked are bent still in their going not that way which the eye of right reason looketh towards, but to the left hand, which is alwayes in Scripture put for the worst. The Vulgar for perverse or crooked, hath it infamous, because walking in such wayes, makes men infamous and vilely accourted of.
To deliver thee from the strange woman, the stranger that slattereth with her lips. Here is another great benefit of Wisdome: By the strange woman, he Vers. 16.meaneth any woman that is not a mans owne wife, for aliena signifieth either a stranger, or another mans wife: For of both these sorts there are whorish women, some single, that make whoring their trade, as it were; and some married, that not being satisfied with their owne husbands, seek to allure other lovers unto them; the one sort flattereth, and so allureth lovers to her for gaine, pretending love unto them, but it is indeed to their money, as long as they are any thing worth, such an one telleth one lover that she loveth him above all other men, and never admitteth of any more to come unto her, but as the German Proverb is, A bush is not hanged out at Lavater.any Taverne for one customer. Some whorish women againe are married, and deceive their Husbands by their flattering speeches, making them beleeve that they love them most dearly, and none other men, but mean while they have their Paramours in secret, upon whom they dispend their Husbands goods, yet by their faire speeches they are so bewitched by them, that they are even angry with those, that give them warning thereof, through which meanes they undergoe great obloquie, being counted bauds to their wives. Of Whores flattering speeches see more, Chap. 5. and how her words are like unto Honey: To this effect Lavater; Another saith, that the strange Woman here spoken of is another mans wife, who to satisfie her filthy Lust, allureth young men unto her: and hereunto the next Muffet.words, ver. 17.
Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God; That is, dealeth falsly with her Husband, to whom she married in her Vers. 17.young and tender age; thus making him her head and guide, and by solemne Covenant both before God and men bound her selfe to cleave to him only, to the end of both their lives, but now without regard of the love and benefit past, or of the Covenant of God, which bindeth so strongly, she breakes thus shamefully out, not only to the endangering of her own soule, but of him or them also that are allured by her.
For her house inclineth to death, &c. None that goe unto her returne againe, Vers. 18. Vers. 19.or take hold of the paths of life. Whereby he sheweth, how dangerous it is to goe to such a Womans house, it is hard for him that doth so, to escape being intangled by her, and if he be, his case is desperate, there being seldome or never any turning by repentance from this foule sinne; a reason whereof is yeelded in Ecclesiastes; Whose heart is as nets, her hands as snares and hands. Arboreus Eccles. 7. 26. Arbor.who citeth many places of Scripture, forbidding and adjudging to death both corporeall and eternall Adulterers, and Adulteresses, which are obvious to every one that readeth the Scriptures, cometh at length to these words; He that goeth unto her returneth not againe; saying, That the meaning is not, no one man that liveth in this foule sinne ever repenteth, but that it is so rare a thing for an Whoremonger to turne, that none in comparison of those that live and dye herein turne. We read of one David, and of a Woman such a sinner, that came to Christ, and washed his feet with her teares, that repented, and was forgiven, but generally they that goe this way turne not, and so never attaine to life, but are shut out with Doggs and Witches to endure everlasting torments. Many indeed say, it repents them Revel. 22.when they are ready to dye, but then they leave not this sinne, but it leaveth them, and so are not truly penitent; for Whore-mongers, although they wax old, and nature decayeth in them, yet shew still the incontinency of their mindes by their delight in obscene talking, and lascivious behaviour, yet when Salomon saith, None returne, he meaneth, by his owne strength, but by Gods grace they may, and if any one turneth from this or any other foule sinne, it is by grace exciting and assisting hereunto.
Jerome not seeing how this could be justified touching Adulterers, expounds it of Death, None that goeth unto her returneth; That is, into the Pit, for from thence there is no redemption, But it is plainly spoken of the strange Woman and cannot without violence doing to the text, be otherwise applyed. But herein lyed a singular benefit of wisdome sought and attained, as it is further said in Ecclesiastes, He that pleaseth God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be taken Eccles. 7. 26. Gen. 39.by her. As we may see it exemplified in Joseph, when this net and snare was by his Mistresse laid for him; and to be delivered from this strange Woman, will appeare to be no meane favour, if we consider the great power that Lust hath over those that are mancipated thereunto, and how that an Adulteresse or Whore is aptly called a strange Woman for this, in that this sinne abounded most amongst the Heathen, there being a kinde of religion placed at, sometimes in married womens and virgins prostituting themselves to other mens lusts; as at Feasts, kept to the honour of Priapus and Venus, and the Heathen were strangers, therefore also is the whorish woman in Israel called a strange woman, and because Whoredom estrangeth the heart from God more then any other sinne, for having been once brought under the power of Venus, she becomes thy god, and holds thee so fast, that thou art for ever after estranged from the true God indeed: for which Venus is by the Heathen set forth as a Queene wearing a Crowne, and Plato calleth her Pausanias. Plato de Repub. lib. 1.for this, Agrestem & furiosam dominam, An harsh and furious Lady. For Lust dulleth and taketh away the sences, as Galen noteth, and nothing is so prejudiciall to the understanding, so that instead of a reasonable Creature a man is hereby made a bruit Beast, that hath no understanding, and doth like a beast that which is naturall, never considering the evils that his blinde affections carry him to: for which one saith, that the Venetians derive Venus from Ve, which in their tongue is a privative▪ signifying without, and foreign, a minde: and Euripides calleth her Aphrodisia, from or without, and foreign wisdome. And therefore no vice in particular could more fitly be spoken of, as from which a man is by wisdome delivered, then a strange woman, or an whorish; and it is a good note of one also, that she is called a stranger, because such were not permitted in Israel, the Law strictly forbad it; There shall not be an Whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a Whore-keeper of the sonnes of Israel; so that harlots lived not in Cities, but without in by places, where they might not be knowne but by some few that came at their lure.
To conclude, take the saying of St. August. Nothing I thinke doth so deject August. Solilo{que} l. 1. c. 10. Cyprian, De sing. cleric.the minde of man as Womens flatteries, and the unlawfull touches of their bodies. And of Cyprian, Out of Coales sparkles fly, rust breeds in Iron, and Aspes poyson the body, and a Woman poureth out the pestilence of Lust, sometime by laughing, sometime by flattering, and sometime by singing.
Touching the next words, ver. 17. one who thinketh not only a woman to be meant in this place that hath an Husband, but also a single woman, understands the first words here, Who forsaketh the guide of her youth, of her that liveth Vers. 14.in her Fathers house, or is under other Governours to keep and looke to her then, when there is most danger of running into this sinne; but she that is lascivious, notwithstanding this vigilant care had over her, goeth away and playeth the Harlot, meeting elsewhere with her Mates to this end and purpose, at Markets, or Faires, or marriage Feasts, as Dinah, Jacobs daughter with Shechem, and so she is defiled, and becomes an Whore. And it is to be noted, that the word rendered Gen. 34:guide, is foreign a Captaine of a thousand, and implying, that it is a most hard thing to keep such an one from running into this foule sin, because such a Captaine with his men are employed about keeping of a Castle besieged with enemies; so the father of such, other governours, servants, and all are little enough to be imployed in keeping her chastity, and had need to use all vigilancy, that she may not, deceiving her Guard, breake out notwithstanding, and turne such a stranger to the endangering both of her owne soule, and the soules of others also. By the Woman that breakes the Covenant of God, all are agreed, that she who is married is meant, breaking her faith so solemnly given at the time of her Marriage. Allegorically by the strange Woman Lyra understandeth Idolatry, where-with as by a strange woman men are bewitched, and drawne away from the true God to Lyra. The Allegory.commit spirituall adultery, whereby they come to be in danger of inevitable destruction, and in so doing, she that was before the Church of God, and his Spouse, forsakes her guide and leader, by whom she was safely kept, as by a strong Garrison; and breakes her Covenant, into which all the faithfull come at the imbracing of the true religion, in that to which she was chiefly bound, viz. To have none other gods, and so of a Wife she becommeth a strange woman, and her house, that is the Congregation of which she is, is the house of Death, and such perish, neither is there any possibility of coming againe out of this danger, and into the way of life, no more then for our first Parents having sinned, and so being cast out of Paradise, to returne againe and to take and eate of the Tree of Life.
For Adulteries bringing to death, notable was that Epigram in Adrians Vers. 18.Gymnasium, or place of exercise, setting forth Venus, as the ancientest of the Destinies, which spinneth not the thread of Life, but cuts it asunder; Quid Venus quaeris?, est antiquissima Parca; Filaque mox'resecans non tamen …ns eadem: And Plutarch writeth of a Temple thus inscribed, Sacrum Vene… Plutarch.homicidae, Sacred to Venus the murtheresse. Chrysost. saith, What is an whorish woman, but a whited sepulchre? and the common burying place of mankinde Chrys. in Ps. 50is her house. And in Rome because old harlots were not permitted openly, they harboured in caves of the earth, called Fornicae, from whence the word Fornication cometh, and in this regard it is aptly said here, Her house inclineth, or is below in a pit of the earth, as it were, where the dead are laid. And therefore it is added, They that goe unto her return not againe. In following the allegory of Vers. 19.death, the Adulterer being like unto a man fallen into a deep pit, out of which there is no getting out againe no more then for him, that is laid into a sepulchre, the place of the dead; according to this Chrysost. saith, It is as hard a matter to convert an Whoremonger, as it is to raise one out of the grave againe that is dead and buried. Neither doth he lay hold of the way of life; that is, either the life of Chrysost.grace, the corporeall life, and everlasting life; for this sinne destroyeth the very body, and causeth death betimes. Basil compareth a woman to a load-stone drawing man unto her, as that doth iron, and he being drawne, cleaveth so fast to her, that Basil.he cannot be againe separated, but either by anointing with the bloud of a Goat, that is; of a sin-offering, or by the juyce of an onyon; that is, the tears of contrition, because the onyon bringeth teares from the eyes. So that to be delivered from this sin, in which there is so much carnall pleasure, there must be abundance of sorrow, and abundant weeping, as in her that washed Christs feet with her tears, otherwise the foulnesse hereof still remaineth, neither the disease being healed, but still remaining, nor his filth cleansed.
That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and in the paths of the righteous, Vulg. in a good way; and for paths, calles, which, as Isidor saith, are sheeps Vers. 20.paths made by their hard hoves; they going one after another, and so they have their name accordingly. And this is a word most aptly setting forth paths of Isidor.righteousnesse, which are streight and narrow, for so is this way, which is the way of life; and the rather is this word used, because as sheep, if one beginnneth to goe all the rest follow: So one truly faithfull, is followed in all vertuous living by all others indued with the same spirit, as Abel in piety, Noah in righteousnesse, Note. Abraham in faith, Joseph in innocency, and David in zeale: Therefore he that is not moved by these examples, or the like, is not of the same spirit, and so never likely to come to the blessed end of the same way, the salvation of his soule, but of the broad way, death and damnation for ever more: For the rendring of the words, Heb. it is foreign; Therefore walk in the way of the good, or good men, and observe how the paths, &c. It is then a conclusion of all the discourse going before, Thus also Lavater reads it.and the dehortations from evill wayes, whether of robbers, and murtherers, hereticks, or other wicked livers, or of adultery to be kept here-from; look at the examples of good and righteous men, and follow them, and by this means understanding shall have in thee the effect before spoken of, to keep thee from evill wayes. And why shouldest thou not be more moved by the example of Abraham Joseph, David, Job, &c. then of all the whores and whoremongers, or other wicked persons in the world? for they are sheep, these wolves, or other savage beasts, whom sheep will not follow, but one of their owne kinde they will most readily, and flye away from these.
For the righteous shall dwell in the land, But the wicked shall be cut off. Here is a motive to follow the righteous, and not the wicked; thus we shall be established Vers. 21. Vers. 22.in our possessions upon earth, and not through Gods judgements be wasted and decay in our estates, and so come to poverty, or to dye ignominiously, and not to live out halfe our dayes. And herein Salomon speakes after the manner of the Old Testament, which is to promise to the righteous all worldly blessings, and to threaten the wicked with the contrary temporall judgements. But as the Fathers generally observe, when these things are spoken of to them, Everlasting blessings are meant to the faithfull under the Gospel, or together with these, those also according to the Apostle, saying, Godlinesse hath the promise of this life, and 1 Tim. 4. 8.of that which is to come. But as is further to be noted, that it is said, The righteous shall dwell in the Land, and often in other places, they shall inherit it; whereby is intimated, That the righteous onelyonly can truly be said to have lands and worldly goods, as an inheritance, but the wicked not: For they are the children of God, whose all things are, and all his children be his heires, and so the earth and earthly things are their inheritance, as well as heaven. From whence it followeth, that they onelyonly can have comfort of these things, as coming to them through God, whereas Note. the wicked come to them by the devill, whom God permitteth to give them unto them, to some by wicked and unlawfull means of stealing and oppressing, false swearing, and deceit, some otherwise, as descending to them from their parents, or given them by other friends; but which way soever they come unto them, they are no inheritance coming from God, but from the devill their father, as Job. 8. 34.Christ calleth him, and a further inheritance to come after, is his hellish kingdome, together with the torments thereof for ever. So Chrysost, in his imperfect worke upon Matth. saith to the wicked, The devill hath given thee those riches although Chrysost.they be not his, but God hath set them between two conditions, either to give them himselfe, or that the devil may give them: for giving the devill power, he quitted not himselfe of it; but when they are given by sinne, or unto sinne, they are given by the devill, when without sinne, by God; upon these words of the devill to Christ, All these will I give thee, if thou wilt fall downe and Matth. 4:worship me. And Gregory saith, Riches are the patrimony of the righteous; yet this is not so to be understood, as that it can hence be inferred, that wicked men Greg. moral. l. 4.have no right to these worldly things, and therefore the righteous may lawfully take them away; for not they onelyonly have right to things which they enjoy, to whom they are given by their proper owner; but also they, to whom they are given by another by such an owners allowance, for then they may in some sort be said to be given by him; and in this sense it is said, That God makes the Sunne to shine, and the raine to fall on the good and the bad; and God is said to Matth. 5.have given mount Seir to Esau, and the Kingdome of Israel to Saul, and afterward to Jeroboam. And this should make all wicked rich men to feare in the midst of the afluence of worldly wealth, for who fears not to be made the devills heire? for he that inherits from him here, shall certainly inherit also with him hereafter. Let us then not onelyonly flye the getting of worldly goods by wicked means, but flye all sinne and wickednesse, which makes men no lesse the devills children, and him their father, then theeves, robbers, and murtherers that take away the precious life of a man to get his treasures.
To conclude this Chapter, Lavater holdeth with Lyra, That allegorically Idolatry is here condemned; and besides the exposition before brought of the strange Lavater.woman, he understandeth also an heathen Idolatresse, whom the Israelites were forbidden to take.