15 | Whoſe ways are crooked b, and they froward in +fch;who their paths. are crooked b Or, Who make their ways crooked, is e. whoſe courſe of Life #1 *heir
ſwerves from the right and ſtraight way of God's Law. | Way. 16 To deiiver thee from the ſtrange womane; * e-,,, .. b p Ch: 5:3 ven from the ſtranger which flattereth with her words . g,;.:4.&
c From the Adultereſs or Whore ; called franze, partly becauſe ,.. c, ſuch Perſons were commonly Heathens, or are ſuppoſed to be ſuch | by reaſon of that ſevere Law againſt theſe practices in Iſraelitiſh wo-
| men, Deut. 23. '7 or are juſtly reputed Heathens, as being dege-
nerate {rael:ites, which are oft called #rangers, as hath been noted in the book of the Pſalms; and partly vecauſe converſation with ſuch Perſons is forbidden to men, as thoſe 1raelites which were not Levites are called Strangers, Numb. 1. 51. in reſpet& of the holy things which they were prohibited totouch ; and forbidden Fire 1s called frag? fire, Numb. 3.4. 4 Which uſeth all arts and ways to allure men ro
17 Which
Chap."Il.
PTY
2 Ons
F Chap. Tit.
* Jer: 334 17 Which forfaketh * the puide of her youth e, and forgetteth f the covenant of her God g.
e Towit, her Husband whom ſhe took to be her guide and go- vernour, and that in her yourh ; which circumſtance is added to
aggravate her fin and ſhame, becauſe love is commonly moſt fincere /
and f-rvent between an Hyu5band and W.fe of youth, as they are for thar Reaſon emphatically called, Prov. 5: 18. Iſa; 54: 6. Joel: 1. 8. Mal: 2: 14, 15. fi. e. Violateth or breaketh, as that word 1s commonly uſed in a praQtical ſenſe. e The Marriage Covenantz fo called, partly, becaute God is the Author and inſtirutor of that ſo- cicty and mutual Obligation :. and partly becauſe God is called to be the witneſs and judge of that ſolenin Promiſe and Covenant, and the avenger of the tranſgreſſion of it.
18 For her houle inhclineth unto death +, and her
paths unto the dead z.
hb Converſation with her ( which was mot free and uſual in her
own houſe ) is the ready and certain way to death, which it brings |
many ways, by waſting a mans viral Spirits, and ſhortning his lite, by expoling him to many and dangerous Difcates, which Phylicians have declared and proved to be the effetts of inordinar Luſt, as alfo to the fury of jealous Husbands or Friends, and ſomer:mes to the Sword of civil Juſtice, and undoubted)y, without Repentance, ro God's wrath and the ſecond death. This is here mentioned as one great priviledge and bleſſed fruit of Wiſdom, to bedclivered from this evil. ; Or, as the Chaldee and ſome others render it, unto the Gi- ants, to wit, thoſe rebellious Giants, Ger. 6. 4. or, as others,unto the damned, or, unto hell. See for this word, Job 7. 9. Pjal. 88. 11. Pro. 9. 18. & 21.16.
19 None & that go unto her 7, return again mz nei-
ther take thy hold of the paths of life ».
k Few or none. An hyperbolical expreſſion uſed, 1. 64. 7. 1 That go to her Houſe, or that lie with her, as this phraſe is uſed, Gen: 16: 4 & 30: 4 Jok 2: 3. m From her, and from this wickedneſs, unto God. Adulterersand Whoremongers are very rarely brought to repentance, but are generally hardned by the power and deceit- fulnets of that Luſty and by God's juſt judgment, pecyliarly infli- cted upon ſuch perfons, Heb. 13; 4. He alludes to the nature of cors poral death, from which no man can withour a Miracle return to this life. » Ofthoſe courſes which lead to true and eternal life.
20 That thou mayeſt o walk in the Way of good men
p, and keep the path of the righteous.
o This depends upon v: tr. and is mentioned as onother happy fruit of Wiſdom, the foriner being deClared from v12. to this verie. ? Follow the Counſels and Examples of the godly. Whereby he in- timats, that it is not ſufficien: to abſtain from evil company and practices, but thar we mult chooſe the converſation of good men.
21 * For the upright thall dwell in the lagdq, and
the perfect ſhall remain in ir.
9g Shall have a peaceable and comfortable abode in the Land of Canaan, which allo is a Type of their everlaſting felicity, See Pſal. 37» 3, 9» 18, 29. F okay. 22 * But the wicked ſhall be cut off from the earth, oi 194 and the tranſgreſſors (ball be || rooted outof it.
jor, pluck CHAP. 1.
w: Solomon exhorteth his Son to Obedience, 1 4. To faith, 5,6. andtruſt in God, the Benefits that they . ſball recerve thereby, 7, 8. To honour God with our Eftates, g. The advantage in ſo doing, 10. To patience un> der Gods chaftiſements, tx. 4 reaſon for it, 12, The happineſs of him that findeth Wiſdom, i3. Wiſdom ſet out with the benefits that agtend her, 14——18. Theefets, lg, 20. Another exhortation to perform our duty. 21 26, 27, To charitableneſs, 28. To avaid firife, 29. 30. Againft envy, 31. The miſery of the wicked and the bleſſings of the
Jus, 32 35-
0 ; : Fane wy M* ſon,forget not my law @ ; * but let thine heart _— keep my commandments #3 a My doctrine or counſel ; or the Law of God, which might be called his Law, as the Goſpel is called Pauls Goſpel. 2 Tim: 2: 8, becauſe delivered by him. & By diligent meditation and hearty at- « Chap. 4. tection. : 10, 22: 2 For * length of days, and | long life, and peace f Heb. (hall they add tothee c. | fear: of life. © God will add theſe Bleſſings which he hath promiſed & the obe- 1x 13; 9: dient, Deut: 8: 18. & 30: 20. 1 Tim: 4:8. . "hun 2 Let not mercy and truth 4 forſake thee * * bind . them about thy neck e ; write them upon the table of
Si 3.
thine heart f. 4 Either, r, Gods Mercy and Truth. So It is a promiſe, God's