» The connexion may be conceivetthus, Having invited the ſim- ple, he forbids the invitation of ſcorners : Or thus, He ſhewerh who he meant by the fooliſh, v 6. even ſcorners and wicked men, as they are here called, and he preſſeth his laſt advice of forſaking them, be- cauſe there wasno good, but hurt to be got by converſation with them. o Partly from the ſcorner who will revile and deride him; ani partly from others. becauſe he isfruſtrated in hisdelign and hope, and by his imprudence hath brought an inconvenience upon him- ſelf. p' A cenſure or Reproach,
8 * Reprove- not a {corner 9, leſt he hate thee r : re- buke a wile man 5s, and he will love thee 7.
q An obſtinat and incorrigible ſinner who ſcornfully rejects and deſpiſeth the means of amendment. Thus Phyſicians deny Phyſick to perſons in deſpecrat condition. » Whereby thou wilt not only expoſe thy ſelf without neceſſity to his Malice and Rage, but alſo make thy ſelf utterly uncapable of doing him that good which poſ- fibly rhou-mighteſt do by other more prudent and proper means. 5 Who is oppoſed to the Scorner, ro intimat that Storners, howſvever, they are thoughr by themſelves or others to be witty or wile, yet in God's account, and in truth are fools. #t Both for that faithful- *nels and charity which he perceiveth in thee, and for that benefit which he receiveth from thee,
9 * Give inſtruttiin u toa wiſe man, and he will be yet wiſer ;- reach a jult man », and he will increaſe in
learning.
d
Ch: 8: 2: Hebe the
* Mat: 7:6:
*Chap: 1: 5
things, whichin Scripture are called Pilars, as Gal. 2. 9. and elfc>
= 2 & Chap. X, 10 * The fcar of the LORD s the beginnis of wiſ-* Job 2g;
dom: and the knowledge of the holy y is underſtan- ** ding &. ph ae y Either, r. of holy men,whether ſuch as all Saints learn, or ra» ha: B78 ther ſuch as the holy men of God, the Servants cf this Wiſdom, reach from God's word : Or rathec, 2. ofholy things, the Hebrew word being here taken 1h the Neuter Gender, as it is Numb. 5. «7; and elſewhere : for this ſeems belt to anſwer to rhe fear of the Lord in m_ other Branch, z Is the only true and necetfary and uſeful know- ECAagee ir *For by me thy days ſhall be multi the _ of thy life ſhall be increaſed. 12 It thou be wiſe, thou ſhalt be wiſe for thy ſelf a: It tt | y lelt a: T bur if thou ſcorneſt, thou alone ſhalt bear it 6. OY # Thou doſt not profit me, bur thy ſelf by it : I adviſe thee for thy own good, b The blame and nuſchyef of it falls wholly upon _ not upon me or my Word or Miniſters who have warned 13 * A fooliſh woman « 5s Clamorous 4 ; ſhe is fim- ple and knoweth nothing e. c By which he underſtands, either, that Wiſdom of which he may include all wick:dneſs
plied : and *Cho:24
FCh.7:14 1. folly, which is oppoſite to hath been ſo ak4 diſcourſing oy lo it | , Either in principle, as Idolatry, Here« ſie, ©. or in practice, Or, 2. The Harlot : which with ſubmiſſion ſeems moſt probable ro me," partly becauſe all the following deſcrip= tion exactly agrers to her, eſpecially what is faid, wv. 17. as alto v, 18. which in effect was ſaid of the Hailor before, Ch. 2. 18. and 5 5. and partly becanſe ſuch tranſitions from diſcourſing of Wiſdom to a ducourſe of Harlots are frequent in Su/omon, as we have ſcen Chap.2.:6.&5.3:& 77 «c. a Speaks loudly that the may be heard,and vehemently, that Perſons might be moved by her perſwaſiens. 8 o wit, arighr, nothing that is good, nothing for her good, though ſhe be ſubril in little artifices for her own wicked ends» 14. For the ſitteth arthe door of her houſe f ona ſeat, in the high places of the city. : _ + Which notes her idleneſs and impudence and diligence in watch ing tor occaſtons of ſin» i5 To call paſſengers, who go right ontheir W2ysSg? g Who were going innocently and directly about their buſineks, withour any unct:aft deſign ; for others needed none of thoſe invie farions or offers, bur went to her of their own accords. And be. ſides, ſuch leud perfons rake a great pleaſure in corwpting the in> | NOoCcent. oY 16 Whoſo is ſimple let him turn in hither ; and as or him that wanteth umderſtanding, ſbefaith to him. ; + Which title is not given to them by her ; for ſuch a Reproach { would not have allured them, bur driven them away ; bur ty $4- ' lomon who repreſents the matter of her invitation in his own words that he might diſcover the truth of the buſinefs, and thereby dif- wade and deter thaſe whom ſhe invited. { 17 * Stolen watersz are ſweet &, and bread In ſecret is pleafant. | # By which he underſtandeth, either 1. Fdolatry or other wic« ' kednetſes, which in Solomon's time, before his fall, were publickly forbidden and puniſhed, bur privatly practiſed. Or rather, 2, A- d ultery. & Part)y from the difiiculty of obraining them partly from the arr which men uſe in coatriving ſuch ſecret ſins ; and partly becaute the very prolubition renders it more grateful to corrupt nas rure. 13 But he knoweth not / that the dead are there, and that her gueſts arein the depths of hell. : - z. e. He doth not conlider it ſeriouſly, whereby he proveth his olly.
FCh. 20417, eaten + Heb: of ſect
[i ;
CHAP X.
From this chapter zo the Five and Twentieth, are ſandry obſervations of Mee ral Virtues, and their contrary Vices, with excellent Rules fer the Go«
wernment of our Converſation. cs T He'proverbs of Solomon #@. * A wiſe b ſon maketh *Wis#
a glade fatherc : but a feoliſh fon 5s the heavineſs
of his mother d.