Exposition of Proverbs 1-3, Expositions · Chapter 1 · Verse 17
Verſ. 17. Surely in vain the net is ſpread in the ſight of any bird.
We come now to Solomon's ſecond argument, to diſſwade the young man from joyning with theſe ſinners. And that is taken from the injuſtice of their courſe. They wrong others without provocation by them, or merit of evill in them. It may be the young man might object againſt the firſt argument, peradventure they had juſt cauſe to take the rich mens lives, as well as their goods. It may be that they have committed ſome great evil, or done them much wrong. No, ſaith Solomon, they had no cauſe at all to proceed ſo cruelly againſt them neither for any wrong done to themſelves, nor others. It proceeds meerly from their owne covetous, and cruel diſpoſition. They have given them no more cauſe then the bird doth to the fowler, to take away his life.
For the words.
foreign, Surely. So it is tranſlated. Surely we will return with thee, Ruth 1.10. And then it is an earneſt aſſeveration of the truth of what is ſaid. It is as ſure, theeves kill without a cauſe, as that fowlers kill harmleſſe birds. It may be read For, as it is, v. 9. & v. 16. And then it uſhers in a ſecond reaſon, to diſſwade the young man from joyning with them, v. 15. becauſe they are unjuſt as well as cruel. For it cannot be a reaſon of the Theeves curelty, mentioned v. 16. for they are not curel becauſe they have no cauſe, but though they have no cauſe.
foreign, In vain. So our Tranſlation and ſome others read it. Some take it to be in vain in regard of the bird, which will take no warning, but will fly to the meat, although it fall into the net. So will Theeves go on till they come to the gallows, notwithſtanding examples of others hanged before, or counſels of friends. They will rob, though they be hanged, and for preſent content, they will adventure ſuture ruine. Their eyes are dazeled with the fight of gain, ſo that they ſee not the danger. Others take it to be in vain in regard of the fowler, who is not alwayes ſure to catch the birds, for many times they ſpy the net, and flie away. And this ſome apply to the Theeves alluring the young man. They often miſſe the precious things they aim at, the owners eſpying their evill intentions, and preventing them. Therefore joyn not thou with them, upon hope of uncertain gain. Others apply it to the young man himſelf, as if Solomon had ſaid, If birds have wit to ſee and avoyd ſnares, thou my Son being a reaſonable creature, ſhouldſt much more (eſpecially being warned by me) ſee the danger of theſe evill mens counſels, and not dare to joyn with them. But the word ſhould rather be tranſlated without cauſe, as it is v. 11. As fowlers kil birds taken in the net, though they never wronged them, that ſo they may feed on them, ſo do theſe moſt unjuſtly kill them they rob, as ver. 11. & 19. ſhew. The one ſaith, they lie in wait for them cauſeleſly, and the other, that they take away their lives. So the word is alſo uſed, chap. 3.30. Strive not with a man without cauſe, if he have done thee no harm. Object not, that they will not be ſo cruell, though they be covetous, for though mens riches may do them good, yet they have given no cauſe to take away their lives. No more hath the bird to the fowler. But as the fowler cannot feed on the bird, unleſſe he kill it, no more can they rob ſometimes without killing.
foreign, The net. It is taken,
1. Literally, for an engine to catch birds, beaſts, or fiſhes. Ye have been a net ſpread upon Tabor, Hoſ. 4.1.
2. For net-work, made like a net. Thou ſhalt make for it a grate of net-work of braſſe, Exod. 27.4.
3. For devices to entrap men. In the net which they hid is their own foot taken, Pſal. 9.15. Here it is uſed in the firſt ſenſe, yet the third intended in the application of the ſimilitude, as appears, v. 18.
Is ſpread. Laid abroad at length, that it may catch the bird, if it come within the verge of it.
In the ſight. Heb. in the eyes, foreign ſignifies,
1. The eye, in which is placed the Senſe of ſeeing. The eye is not ſatisfied with ſeeing, Eccl. 1.8.
2. The ſight which is by the eye. The heavens are not clean in his ſight, Job 15.15. So here, where the bird either doth ſee it, or may ſee it, if he will look about him; or, where birds uſe to haunt.
foreign, Of any. Not of every bird, but of any bird. So it ſignifies here, and that without a negative particle with it. A thing not obſerved in Grammars and Dictionaries. So Job 8.12. It withereth before any other hearb. For the word ſee on v. 13. on the word All.
Bird. Heb. owner or poſſeſſour of a wing. That hath a wing at command to fly withall. Thus God diſtinguiſheth birds from beaſts and fiſhes. A bird of the air ſhall carry the voyce, and that which hath wings ſhall tell the matter, Eccl. 10.20. So the Owner is in the Originall called the poſſeſſour of riches, v. 19. And the Ram that had two horns, is called, The poſſeſſour of two horns, Dan. 8.6. The Hebr. word foreign, ſignifies,
1. An owner or poſſeſſor of a thing. The Maſter of the houſe ſhall be brought unto the Judges, Exod. 22.8. that is, The owner or poſſeſſour of it. He that dwels in it.
2. A chief or honorable man. The Prieſt ſhall not defile himſelf, being a chief man among his people, Lev. 21.4.
3. An husband. If he were married, Exod. 21.3. Hebr. if he were the husband of a wife.
4. An Idol, called Baal. He brought him up into the high places of Baal, Numb. 22.41.
5. A Lord. Call me no more Baali, that is, My Lord, as in the marg. Hoſ. 2.16.
6. An inhabitant. So it is rendred, The men of Shechem, Judg. 9.20.
Here it is taken in the firſt ſenſe, for the poſſeſſour of a wing, that is, a bird. The word foreign, ſignifies,
1. A wing. Every winged ſowle after his kinde, Gen. 1.21.
2. It is put for the ſwiftneſſe of the wind, which ſeems to fly, it is ſo quick, and carries ſhips away apace. He did fly upon the wings of the wind, Pſal. 18.10.
3. For the utmoſt part of any thing. As,
1. Of a garment. They ſhall make them fringes in the borders of their garments, Numb. 15.38.
2. For the ſails of a ſhip, which are ſpread like wings, and make ſhips as it were to fly. Woe to the Land ſhadowing with wings, Iſa. 18.1. That is, ſending forth ſhips with ſails, as appears v. 2. there.
3. For the wings of an Army. The ſtretching out of his wings ſhall fill the breadth of thy Land, O Immanuel, Iſa. 8.8.
4. The fartheſt part of the earth. From the four corners of the earth, Iſa. 11.12.
5. The ſpringing of the morning light, which begins far from us. The Sun of righteouſneſſe ſhall ariſe with healing in his wings, Mal. 4.2. Here it is uſed in the firſt ſenſe, for the wing of a bird.
Figures none, except eyes for ſight. The cauſe for the effect.
Note 1. The manner of ſpeaking, Surely.
2. The matter. And in it,
1. The ſubject, the net.
2. The adjuncts. 1 Is ſpread. 2 Without cauſe.
3. The object. In the ſight of any bird.
1. Doct. Variety of reaſons are needfull todiſſwade from evill. See how many curſes are threatned againſt it, Deuter. ch. 27. & 28.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe of our privative unbeleef. We are hardly drawn to beleeve any ſpirituall truth, and divine. O fools and ſlow of heart, to beleeve all that the Prophets have ſpoken, Luk. 24.25. A weak houſe muſt have many props, elſe it wil fall.
2. Becauſe of our poſitive unbeleef. We are oppoſite to matters of faith and holineſſe, and can reaſon ſtrongly againſt our owne ſalvation. We had need of many bullets to beat down this ſort.
3. Becauſe of mens different diſpoſitions. One affects wit, another credit, another profit, another pleaſure. All theſe muſt be wrought upon accordingly. A fiſher muſt have ſeverall baits for ſeverall fiſhes, worms for one, flies for another, paſte for another. One man is loving, another harſh; one ſtout, another fearfull; one fed with hopes, another affected onelyonly with things preſent. Perſwaders to good, or from evil, muſt proceed accordingly. Decet veritatem, totis viribus uti ſuis, non ut laborantem: It becomes truth to uſe all her forces, not as if it had much adce to uphold her ſelf. Tertull. adverſ. Marc. l. 3.
4. To confirm our ſelves in the truth, elſe we ſhall never work well upon others.
Ʋſe. To perſwade us to ſtudy the Scripture well, if we would be able to give counſell to others to draw them to good, or from evill; for there is the ſtorehouſe of truth, and abundance of reaſons, and ſtronger then either nature or art can afford, to work upon mens judgement, or affections.
2. Doct. Reaſons brought to confirm truth muſt be ſolid ones. So Chriſt confutes the Sadduces by a ſentence out of the Law. I am the God of Abraham, the God of Iſaac, and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, Matt. 22.32. It is conceived the Sadduces believed only the five Books of Moſes, and therefore our Saviour out of them brings his proof, that could have brought plainer out of the Prophets, if he had pleaſed, as Dan. 12.2. Many of them that ſleep in the duſt of the earth, ſhall awake, ſome to everlaſting life, and ſome to ſhame, and everlaſting contempt. So he confuteth the Phariſees, who maintained that a man might ſwear by the Temple, but not by the gold of the Temple, by an undeniable argument; Ye fools and blinde, for whether is greater, the gold, or the Temple that ſanctifieth the gold? Matt. 23.17. So Paul reproves fornicators, in that they make the members of Chriſt the members of an harlot, 1 Cor. 6.15. So he confutes communion with Idolaters, becauſe therein they have fellowſhip with devils, 1 Cor. 10.20.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe nothing but truth ſhould come from an informer, elſe he may be a blinde guide, and fall, and lead others into the ditch.
2. Reaſons ought not onelyonly to be true, but alſo to bear up other truths. All ſtones in a building ſhould be firm, but eſpecially the foundation ſtones. What is a lying witneſſe worth, or a beggerly ſurety? The Rabbins ſay of a weak argument, foreign, Your ſurety wants a ſurety. And the Logicians cry out, Incertum per incertius: Ye prove an uncertainty by a greater uncertainty.
3. Elſe we cannot ſatisfie our ſelves. And how ſhould a man think to perſwade others by that which perſwades not himſelfe?
4. Our reaſons ſhould not onelyonly ſatisfie others, but be ſo ſtrong, that they may convince them, and ſtop their mouths. A miniſter muſt be able by ſound doctrine both to exhort and convince the gainſayers, Tit. 1.9. Therefore their reaſons had need be ſtrong.
Ʋſe. Let us weigh our arguments well in our owne ſouls, before we preſent them to others. So men meaſure their corn at home, before they bring it to Market, that it may not fall ſhort. Elſe we cannot hope to perſwade others to good, or diſſwade them from evill, if our arguments prevail not firſt with our ſelves.
3. Doct. There is a world of injuſtice in the world. As in Heathen Niniveh. The Lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and ſtrangled for his lioneſſes, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravine, Nah. 2.12. Woe to the bloudy City. It is all full of lies and robbery, the prey departeth not, Nahum 3.1. So in idolatrous Iſrael, Ahab muſt have Naboth's vineyard, 1 King. 21. It is full of lying, killing, stealing, Hoſ. 4.1. In Judab alſo profeſſing Religion in David's old dayes. It is like Abſalom had ſome colour of complaint, by reaſon of officers oppreſſion. No man is deputed of the King to hear thee, 2 Sam. 15.3. And in Iſrael, in Samuel's old dayes. His Sons turned aſide after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgement, 1 Sam. 8.3. Samuel could ſay, Whoſe oxe have I taken? or whoſe aſſe have I taken, &c. 1 Sam. 12.3. But his Sons could not ſay ſo.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe men have different humours, and affections; ſome ſpleenful, ſome fearfull, ſome covetous, ſome ambitious.
2. They have divers degrees. Some are great, and think they may do what they will with mean ones. Some low, and do wrong for need. They are poor, and steal, Prov. 30.3. Some of a middle rank, who envy ſuperiours, ſlight inferiours, and wrong both.
Ʋſe. Let us be juſt in the midſt of an unjuſt generation, as Noah was, Gen. 6.9. and as Paul would have the Philippians to be, Phil. 3.15. and as the middle region of the air is cold, being between the upper region hot, as being neerer the Sun; and the lower hot by reflexion.
The net is ſpread. Fowlers have nets, and ſpread them to take innocent birds, that they may be ſure they may not eſcape.
4. Doct. Wicked men have cunning devices to doe miſchief. As Abſalom, to get away the hearts of his Fathers Subjects by flattery, 1 Sam. 15.3. And Iſhmael by tears to call them to Gedaliah, whom he had ſlain before, and ſo to kill them, Jer. 41.2, 6, 7.
Reaſon 1. To expedite the buſineſſe the ſooner, that they may quickly effect their deſires. They long to be rid of their miſchievous deſignes, as a woman with-childe of her burden. Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, Pſal. 7.14. As the Mathematician that made an Engine to convey a Ship into the Sea with one hand, which others could not do with much help, was a cunning man. So have wicked men curious fetches to hurt others.
2. To remove all impediments, which requires much skill.
Ʋſe. Take heed of ungodly mens plots. Uſe the Doves innocency, but with the Serpents ſubtilty, Matth. 10.16.
5. Doct. God hath put ſome viſible diſtinction between viſible creatures. Birds are diſtinguiſhed from Beaſts by wings. He made birds to fly in the air, fiſhes to ſwim in the ſea, beaſts to go on the earth, Gen. 1.
Reaſon. To ſhew Gods wiſdome, that hath ſet a ſeveral mark on all creatures, in their ſeveral kindes.
Ʋſe. Let us in beholding the variety of the creatures, give God the glory of his wiſdome, Rom. 1.20, 21.
6. Doct. Creatures have a lawfull power over their members. A bird is Maſter of a wing.
Reaſon. God gives them this power.
Ʋſe. Honor God then with your members. Yeeld your members ſervants to righteouſneſſe unto holineſſe, Rom. 6.19.