Exposition of Proverbs 1-3, Expositions · Chapter 3 · Verse 21
VER. 21: My ſon, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep found wiſdom and diſcretion.
SOlomon having before mentioned the great effects of wiſdom, now renews his exhortation, to remember all her precepts. Hee would not have men to have a low opinion of wiſdom, whereof he had given ſo large commendations before, and gives more afterwards in this Chapter, propounding more benefits, that will come hereby. Wiſdom is a treaſure ineſtimable, wonderfull, profitable, and full of pleaſure, as we have heard, and ſtill may hear out of this book, when we ſee that Solomon is not content with the former praiſes, whereby he hath declared unto us the profit, and pleaſure, that they have, which are poſſeſſed with wiſdom, but doth admoniſh us in the text carefully to keep it.
For the words.
My Son. See on Chap. 1.1.8.
Let not them. Some carry it back to the words foregoing, and conceive that Solomon charges the young man to be carefull to think often of Gods wiſdom appearing in the Creation of Earth, Heaven, Water, and Air, ver. 19.20. But it is rather to be referred to the words following in this verſe, requiring him to remember ſuch precepts of wiſdom, and diſcretion, as Solomon had or ſhould teach him in this book. His end being to bring the young man to get wiſdom, hee urgeth this as a principall means. Thus the antecedent follows. Pſa. 87.1, 2. His foundation is in the holy Mountains. The Lord loveth the gates of Zion.
Depart. Be forgotten. For things forgotten by us, are departed from our minds.
From thine eyes. From the eyes of thy mind. Let them never ſtep out of thy memory, no more then jewells, that hang in thy ſight. ver. 3. Do not think of them onelyonly at leiſure times, but meditate of them continually. Keep wiſdom once gotten as charily, as men do things, which they affect ſo much, that they will never let them go out of their fight, but watch them perpetually, as God doth Zion, Behold I have graven thee upon the Palmes of my hands, thy walls are continually before me. Iſa. 49.16. Let them be as the delight of thine eyes, on which thou canſt never look enough, as the Prophets wife was to him, I take away from thee the deſire of thine eyes. Ezek. 24.16.
For eyes, ſee on Chap. 1.17. on the word ſight.
Keep. Conſtantly in thy memory, and ready for practiſe. For the word, ſee on Chap. 2.8.
Sound wiſdome. H…b. Eſſence, or Being. See on Chap. 2.7.
And diſcretion. See on Chap. 1.4.
Figures. A metaphor in Eyes, taken from the eyes of the body, and applyed to the ſoul. Let thy heart look upon them by meditation.
Note 1. The negative part.
2. The affirmative.
In the negative, or prohibition, obſerve
1. The perſon ſpoken to, My ſon.
2. The action forbidden, Let them not depart from thine eyes. Wiſdomes precepts muſt not be forgotten, as if they were out of ſight, and out of mind.
In the affirmative, or injunction, note
1. The act, Keep.
2. The object. Sound wiſdom, and diſcretion.
Doct. 1. Wiſdome once gotten, muſt never be forgotten. This is one of the laſt leſſons of the old Teſtament, Remember the Law of Moſes my ſervant, &c. Hoſ. 4.4. It is required in the new, Remember how thou haſt received, and heard, and hold faſt. Rev. 3.3.
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe of the excellency of wiſdome ſhewed before, we do not eaſily forget things excellent, either for beauty or uſe: Who forgets the virgin he is in love withall? or the medicine that heals him?
2. For the profit of them: we eaſily forget things that bring no gain, but who forgets his gold, or trade, though he be old? Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. Acts 19.25.
3. Becauſe of the loſſe, that followes on the loſſe of wiſdome, which is very great, the loſſe of all thoſe good things, which wiſdom would procure for us, temporall, ſpirituall, or eternall; beſides, the loſſe of memory it ſelfe, that when it hath unburdened it ſelfe of that which is good, will eaſily forget meaner things.
4. Becauſe of the danger that followes this forgetfulneſſe, it will bring all thoſe evills in the world, which wiſdome retained might prevent. He that forgets his medicine, muſt bear his pain. It will alſo bring eternall miſery in another world.
Uſe 1. To reprove ſuch as have loſt more knowledge, then they have left, whoſe bloſſomes were fair, but are fallen off: they are like many witty tradſmen, that ſpend money as faſt as they get it.
2. To exhort us to remember the good things we have gotten.
Motives 1. Wiſdomes precepts coſt us much pain to get, and ſhould not then eaſily be loſt; we ſtrove againſt natures ſtreams to get it.
2. We look for much good by it, which will be loſt with it.
Means. 1. Think often of wiſe inſtructions, eſpecially the principall. So Archers think often of the mark, Pilots of the guiding ſtarre, travallers of the marks of the way. The Jews wore Phylacteries to keep Gods commandements in their memories, Numh. 15.38.39. The way is hard to hit, and dangerous to miſſe.
2. Set your affections upon them, elſe other things will take you off from thinking of them. Children eaſily forget what they learn, play takes them off. Men are ſerious in what they like. As the ſtone on the ſtill waters makes circles one after another, and ſo the former periſh, ſo doth buſineſſe put out wiſdoms precepts.
3. Speak often of wiſe things. A Maſter learns by teaching ſcholars.
4. Practiſe them. No man forgets his trade, while he is able to work in it. To conclude this point, think how carefull worldly parents are to call upon their children to keep tranſitory riches; and take notice how gently, and often Solomon calls upon us in this book, not to forget wiſdomes precepts, leſt we loſe ſpirituall profit here, and eternall glory hereafter offered to us, and ſo periſh eternally, and then forget wiſdome precepts if thou canſt.
Doct. 2. Wiſdoms precepts muſt be dear to us. As dear as ſilver, and as pretious as hid treaſures. Chap. 2.4. Dearer then ſilver, gold, rubies. Chap. 8.10, 11.
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe they have been ſo alwaies to Gods people, as the delight of their eyes, without which they could not be ſatiated, nor ſatisfied. So they were to David, O how I love thy Law! it is my meditation all the day. Pſal. 119.97. So to Paul, I count all things but loſſe for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord. Phil. 3.8.
2. Becauſe they are ſo to them in all conditions: the pleaſures of proſperity cannot take off their affection from them, nor the croſſes of adverſity.
Uſe. To reprove thoſe who ſet light by wiſdoms precepts: many books will down with them, and human hiſtories, but Gods word is ſleighted by them.
Doct. 3. Wiſdoms precepts muſt be carefully laid up by us. So did David, Thy word have I hid in mine heart, Pſal. 119.11. So did the Virgin Mary, His Mother kept all theſe ſayings in her heart, Luke 2.51.
Reaſ. 1. For direction in time of proſperity, for then our waies have much danger in them.
2. For conſolation in time of adverſity, of which we have much need.
Uſe. Let us do with wiſdoms precepts, as worldly men do with needfull inſtruments, not throw them about the houſe, but lock them up, that they may be ready in time of need. Keep by meditation what is got by ſtudy.