Exposition of Proverbs 1-3, Expositions · Chapter 1 · Verse 10
Verſ. 10. My Son, if ſinners entice thee, conſent thou not.
The Wiſe man proceeds in a very fit method; for having exhorted young men to hearken to their Parents, now in the ten verſes following, he warns them to take heed of ſeducers, whereof for want of experience, and proneneſſe to evill, they are in great danger. Such ſeek to extinguiſh the good counſels of Parents at home, by drawing them abroad to wickedneſſe. For mans naturall corruption is ready to break forth, eſpecially being ſolicited by others. Therefore he warns young men to take heed of wicked mens company, counſels, and wayes: Young men are more apt to hear other mens bad counſels, then their Parents good; by reaſon of ill diſpoſition more powerfull in them then naturall affection. Therefore he bids them cleave faſt to the one, reſiſt the other.
For the words.
foreign, My Son. For this word ſee on verſ. 1. & verſ. 8. Herein Solomon aimed principally at the good of his owne children, yet gives this counſell to every young man that ſhall hear or read theſe Proverbs, calling him his Son, as if he ſpake to him in particular, out of a paternall affection.
foreign, If. If ſuch a thing ſhall happen. If you meet with ſeducers, as it may be ye may. Or when, as it is tranſlated, Amos 7.2. When they had made an end of eating the graſſe of the land. For there is no queſtion but young men will meet with enticers one time or other. Or ſeeing, as it ſhould be tranſlated, Eſt. 6.13. Seeing Mordecai is of the ſeed of the Jews. For it is ſure he was ſo.
foreign, ſinners. Object. All men are finners born, and good men ſin every day. There is no man that ſinneth not, 1 King. 8.46.
Anſw. By finners here are meant groſſe ſinners, as Luk. 7.37, 39. ſuch as live in a courſe of ſin without repentance. Such are forward to draw others to be like them, but godly men ſeek to draw others to piety. So the word is uſed, Pſal. 1.1. Nor ſtandeth in the way of ſinners. And Joh. 9.31. God heareth not ſinners. Such as make a trade of ſin, 1 Joh. 3.9. & 1 Sam. 15.18. The word ſignifies to miſſe the mark. Every one could ſting ſtones at an hairs breadth, and n…t miſſe, Judg. 20.16. And ſecondarily, to miſſe the mark that God ſets before us in his Word. Not to act according to his Law. But here it ſignifies not ſuch as in ſome one act differ from the Law of God, but in the courſe of their lives, and that willingly, wittingly, and groſſely, and ſo miſſe the mark of eternall glory, Phil. 3.14.
foreign, Entice thee. Seek to perſwade thee with fair words and rich promiſes to take part with them in their wickedneſſe, to the hurt of others. Malus bonum vult malum eſſe, ut ſit ſui ſimilis. Plaut. A bad man would have a good man bad, that he might be like him. The word is uſed ſometimes in a good ſenſe, to perſwade men to good, and for their good. So ſome tranſlate Gen. 9.27. God ſhall perſwade Japhet. And from this word Japhet had his name. But it is taken moſt commonly in a bad ſenſe, as here. Hence foreign, a ſimple man, eaſily drawn away, verſ. 4. And hence comes Fatuus a fool in Latin.
foreign, Conſent thou not. A prohibition or charge, not to hearken to enticing ſinners. The word ſignifies to bear good will. Such as parents bear to their children. Thence comes foreign, a Father. See on verſ. 8. And becauſe men are willing to hearken to ſuch as they bear good will to, it ſignifies alſo to conſent. Sometime to good counſell, as verſ. 30. Sometime to bad, as here. Say, I will not do what ye perſwade me to. Give a ſhort anſwer, give not the leaſt ear or liking to their flattering perſwaſions. Be not ready to hearken to them with thine ear, much leſſe with thine heart, leaſt of all to admit them into thine hand, or act them. Keep thine ears from hearkening to them at firſt, as David kept h…s tongue, Pſal. 39.1. and Job his eyes, Job 31.1. Be ſo far from acting with them, that thou give no conſent to them, nor keep no company with them, Prov. 4.14. Be not won with their fair words, and large offers, but rather reſiſt their ſolicitations. A Meioſis, as in the third Commandement, not holding him guiltleſſe that taketh Gods Name in vain, is holding him very guilty, and puniſhing him very ſeverely.
The ſumme of all is, as Solomon ſhould have ſaid; Ye young men, whom I love as children, I know that wicked men will ſpeak you fair, and make you large promiſes, to perſwade you not to hearken to my good counſels here, or ſuch as your godly Parents ſhal give you, and to draw you to their wicked wayes; but truſt not to their promiſes, nor hearken ye to their counſels, for in ſtead of making you rich and happy, they will make you miſerable. Figures none.
Note 1. A generall preſcription in this verſ.
2. Particular directions, to verſ. 20.
In the firſt note,
1. The party ſpoken to, My Son.
2. The dehortation. And in it,
1. The danger.
2. The way of preventing it. In the danger,
1. The agent, if ſinners.
2. The effect, entice.
3. The object, thee.
The remedy is, conſent thou not.
For the coherence: He had perſwaded the young man before to open his ear to his Parents good counſels, now he perſwades him to ſtop it againſt the bad counſels of finners.
1. Doct. Parents good counſels ſhould keep out the bad counſels of finners out of childrens hearts. Compare ch. 2. v. 1. with v. 12. & v. 16. there, and ye ſhall ſee that hiding Parents commandments within us, is a means to keep us from being hurt by the bad words of evill men or women. See the like, ch. 4.4, 14, 20, 24. & 5.1, 3, 7, 8, 9. & 6.20, 24. & 7.1, 5.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe their parents ſhould be deerer to them, then any other whatſoever. And men are moſt ready to hearken to them, that are deereſt to them. Men are more ready to take notice who ſpeaks, then what is ſpoken. They who ſlight others ſpeeches will regard friends words.
Ʋſe. Let children, when they are tempted to fin by others, recall their Parents good counſels to the contrary. It wil be a great preſervative. Arms laid up in peace are produced in war for good.
2. Doct. Such as undertake to teach others, muſt ſhew forth Parents affections. So doth Solomon here, and verſ. 8. ch. 2.5. & 3.1. & 4.1. And David, chap. 5.1. & 6.1. & 7.1.
Reaſon 1. It is a winning way. Love wins more then authority. Therefore Paul uſeth it to win the revolted Galatians, Gal. 4.19. My little children, of whom I travell in birth again, untill Chriſt beformed in you. See the like in Paul's dealing with Philemon, Philem. v. 7, 8, 9, 19. He intreats that might command, and promiſes payment to him that was more indebted to him, yea owed him his owne ſoul. St. John often uſeth this loving title, My little children, 1 Joh. 2.1, 12, 13. & 3.18.
2. It is a ſtopping way to prevent objections. If it be objected, we diſgrace others, and bear them malice naturally, therefore they will not hear our counſels; we may anſwer, Parents bear no malice to their children, and are therefore worthy to be heard. If it be ſaid, we ſeek our owne, and not others good, the ſame anſwer will ſerve, Parents do not ſo, but ſeek their childrens good, and their counſels are for that cauſe not to be rejected.
1. Ʋſe. For Teachers. Let Miniſters ſeaſon their reprooſs with fatherly inſinuations of affection, as Phyſicians give ſugar after bitter pills. So let Fathers, Maſters, Friends, teach with parentall love, if they would do any good.
2. Ʋſe. Let young men regard ſuch Teachers as ſhew ſuch affection. Aſſuredly they ſpeak for their good, what ever their corruption ſuggeſts to the contrary.
3. Doct. Though all men be finners, yet ſome remain in a ſinfull eſtate, and ſo carry away the name from others. Theſe are of two ſorts:
1. All in their naturall condition. While we were yet ſinners, Rom. 5.8. In the fleſh, ch. 8.8. In darkneſſe, 1 Theſſ. 5.4.
2. Groſſe ſinners, as the Sodomites, Gen. 13.13. The men of Sodom were wicked, and ſinners before the Lord exceedingly. The ſinners in Zion are afraid, Iſa. 33.14.
Ʋſe. Get out of ſuch a condition, both of naturall and cuſtomary ſin, or rather keep out of the latter. Preſervatives are better then healing phyſick.
4. Doct. Wicked men deſire to make others as bad as themſelves. So Harlots doe, Prov. 7.13, 14. The ſtrumpet kiſſes the young man, and inveagles him with fair words. So do drunkards. Come ye, ſay they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill cur ſelves with strong drink, and to morrow ſhall be as this day, and much more abundant, Iſa. 56.12.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe ſome ſins cannot be committed without company with any content, as wantonneſſe and drunkenneſſe. Nemo facilè peccat. No man will eaſily ſin alone. Auguſt Conf. l. 2. Infected perſons are ſaid to have a deſire to inſect others.
2. That they may continue in ſin the more boldly, when they have partners in ſin to ſide with them.
Ʋſe. When men tempt you to evill, look what they are. Ye will find them wicked men themſelves, and ſuch as gallop toward hell, and would lead you thither with them. This thought will dead their temptations.
5. Doct. Wicked men have a notable infinuating faculty to deceive others. See the Harlots perſwaſions, Prov. 7.13, &c. and the Drunkards, Iſa. 56.12. Both cited in the former doctrine. So after the text, Theeves ſeek to draw in others from hope of gain, and impunity.
Reaſon 1. They have oft-times ripe wits, and ſtretch all the veins of their underſtanding to deceive.
2. They ſtudy how to be n…mble, and eloquent in deceiving. They make choiſe of moſt alluring baits, as Fiſhers and Fowlers uſe to do. Fiſtula dulce canit, voluerem dum decipit auceps: The pipe ſings merrily, while the Fowler deceives the bird. Flatterers like fiſher-men, and fowlers willingly ſet that before the eyes of fiſhes and birds, which they think pleaſeth them best. They know, that otherwiſe they loſe their labour. Petronius. The Serpent tempts Eve by fruit pleaſant to the eyes, Gen. 3.6. Syrens ſing ſweetly to deceive. The Dragon bites the Elephants ear, and then ſucks his bloud. So wicked men hurt us by our ears. Trap in v. 11.
Ʋſe. Labour to underſtand the drifts of tempters and deceivers, that ye may not be carried away with their fair words and promiſes. Anſwer as Speuſippus Plato's Nephew anſwered a flatterer that praiſed him, Give over deceiving both of us, draw not me from the knowledge of my ſelf, and ceaſe to heap cunning maliciouſneſſe on your ſelf. Nihil proficis, cum te intelligam: I underſtand you ſo well that you cannot prevail. Elenard in Chron. Malum hominem blandè loquentem agnoſce tuum laqueum eſſe: Take notice that a wicked man ſpeaking fawningly is a ſnare to thee. Seneca. So the ſtrumpets words bring the young man into a ſnare, ch. 7.23. Chriſt was offered all the Kingdomes of the world by Satan, I yet hearkened not to him; neither do thou to Papiſts, nor groſſe ſinners, who offer offices or marriages to ſeduce. They are juſtly fooled, who truſt them.
6. Doct. Enticers will ſet upon ſuch as have good education. Solomon was ſet upon by his wives, 1 King. 11.4. His Son Rehoboam by his young counſellors, 1 King. 12.8. And no marvell, for the Devil durſt ſet upon Chriſt himſelfe.
Reaſon 1. They truſt to their own skill to deceive, as if none were metall proof againſt it.
2. They judge others corrupt like themſelves, though better bred. And they gueſſe ſhrewdly, for inſtruction cannot quite drive out naturall corruption; Tindar will take fire.
Ʋſe. Ye that have godly parents, expect ſeducers. They will ſoon ſet upon you, to deprive you of your Parents good counſels. Churches and Families have ſuch. Praemoniti, praemuniti; forewarned, forearmed. Be not taken unawares.
7. Doct. Enticers cannot hurt us, if we conſent not. Satan hurt not Chriſt, Matth. 4. Nor had hurt Adam and Eve, had not they conſented.
Reaſon. Becauſe thoughts of what is evill, are not evill thoughts, till ſome delight or conſent come. Aſcending thoughts, to wit, from our corruption, are ſins; thoughts ſent in, to wit, by Satan, are no ſins, if they infect us not. Andrews on the tenth Commandement. Chriſt could not but think what it was that Satan tempted him to, yet ſinned not.
Ʋſe. Deny conſent, and no temptation can hurt thee; thou ſhalt be free from actuall finning.
8. Doct. We muſt be firmly reſolved againſt all ſolicitations to evill. So Chriſt was, Matt. 4. and had Scripture ready.
Reaſon. Becauſe they will elſe grow too hard for us. Trees are eaſieſt pulled up at firſt.
Ʋſe. Reſiſt temptation at firſt, and then Satan will fly from you, Jam. 47 and ſin with him. Euticers are faeces Reipublicae, the dregs of the Common-wealth. Cicero. The ſooner ſwept away, the better. Majorem praedam in viduabus blandimenta eliciunt, quàm tormenta. Many proved unchaſte by allurements, yet many Widows and Maids endured the fire. Auguſt. de Verb. Dom. in Matth. Hom. 19 fin. Avunculus tuus quaerit animam tuam, qui jam perdidit ſuam. Promiſit magna, ſed ego majora; offert plura, ſed ego plurima. Dimittes ergo pro terr…nis coeleſtia, pro temporalibus aeterna? Bern. Epiſt. 2. ad Fulconem. Thy Ʋncle ſeeks thy ſoul, who hath already loſt his owne. He promiſes great things, but I greater: he offers very many things, but I far more. Wilt thou then let go heavenly things for earthly, eternall for temporary?