IP. XIV. | __. uſetheirutmoſt diligence in them. Or rather 2. By Injuſtice, as this Phraſe is uſed, Prov: 16: 8: Fer: 17: 11: & 22; 13: Exek: 22: 29, Nor do I find it in any other Scripture. By his Frauds,Ra- pines, and Oppreſſions, and other unjuſt and wicked prattices, whereby he ſecks to enrich himſelf,as refuſing and ſcorning to ger an Eſtate by honeſt labours. So this agrees with what is ſaid v: 11. 24 * He that ſpareth x his rod y, hateth his ſon = : 22:15: bur he that loveth him, chaſteneth him betimes|]. 23: 13: x Heb. with holdeth it from his Son when it is due to him. » 9:5,17: That corre&ion which his Sons fault requires, and he as a Father is required to give him. z Notdire&ly and properly in regard of | his Affe&ion, but conſequently, and 1n reſpett of the event. His fond AffeQion is as permciousto himas his or another mans hatred could be | Either 1. In his tender years, as ſoon as he is capable of it. Or 2. Speedily. before he be hardened and inveterate in fin. 25 * The righteous cateth: ro the ſatisfying of his foul but the beily of we wicked {hall want. Gods Favour and Blefling gives him a competent Eſtate, and an Heart to uſe it, and Comfort and Satisfattion 1n it ; whereas wicked men commonly want either all there Bleſſings, or ſome of
them. : CHA P. XIV.
| Þ £7 wiſe woman a buildethher houſe b ; but the
| fooliſh plucketh it down with her handsc. :
# He ſpeaks of the W:men not to'exciude the Man, of whom this is no leſs tre, bur becauſe the Women, eſpecially in thoſe times, were very induſtrious in managing their Husbands Eſtates ; of which ſee Prov 37. b Maintaineth and improveth her Family and Eſtate, as this Phraſe is uſed, Exod: 1: 21. 2 Sam: 7: 11: Pſal 127: 1. c Either by her idlenefs and nor uſing her hands,or by her fool- iſh and ſinful courſes.
2 He thatwalketh in his uprightnefs d, feareth the obi2. 4. LORD * ; but he that 5s perverſein his ways, deſpiſerth C him +.
4 Whoſe converſztion is ſincerely pious and righteous. The defign of this Proverb and Verſe is ro ſhew, that God dorh, and men may judge of mens outward profeſſions and inward diſpoſiti- ons by the common courte «+ their lives. e Plainly declares that he doth nor f:ar God, but deſpiſe him, and his commands, and threatnings. " | :
2 In che mouth of the fooliſh is a rod of pride ft; bur-the lips of che wiſe ſhall preſerve them g.
f His proud and inſolent ſpeeches as they are like a Rod, offen- ſive and 1;jurious ro others,ſo they make a Rod for their own Backs, by provoking God and men againſt them. Which ſenſe ſeems moſt
- probeble Loth from the oppoſite Clauſe,and by comparing this place with Prov: 10: 13. & 26: 3: For this Phraſe, The Rod of Pride,it may be Tompared with other like Phraſes, as the foot of Pride, Pal: 36:
22. The ſcourge of the Tongue, Job 53 21; and the Rod of rhe Mouth, Iſa: 11.4. g From that Rod. 4 Where no Oxen are, the crib is clean b : but much
increaſe is by the ſtrength of the oxe 7. |
bThe Barn or Stable is empty of food for Cattel, and much mo'e for Man, whoſe food is more ſcarce and dear. In the ſame ſenſe cleanneſs of Teeth is put for Famine; 4morg: 6. i By their Ia- bours, or by diligencein Husbandry, which then was p:1ncipaliy
h - managed by Oxen. ; :
Ver-25. 5 * A faithful witneſs will not lic &; buta faiſe wit-
IG. 20ncls will. utter lies].
. A & To wit, in common diſcourſe and converſation, whereby he
map-2-19: ſheweth his love to truth, and giveth aſſurance chat when he i» cal-
112-275 Jed to be a Witneſs, he will be true and faithful. 1 Or,as the words
; he in the Heorew, 4nd,or *ut he that will utter lies ( that accuſtom-
eth himſelf to lying) is or will be a falſe Witneſs, when occaſion re- —_ it, Having debauched his Conſcience by daily lying, he is Thereby preparcd and diſpoſed to falle-witneſs-bearing. Compare
» Prov: 12: 17.
; 6 Alſcorner m ſecketh wiſdom and fndeth ir not » ;
chap.8.9: but * knowiedge zs eafie unto him o that underſtand- .ethp.
m A proud, felf-conceited, and profane Perſon, » Becauſe he doth not ſeck it aright, to wit, ſincerely, and earneſtly, and ſea- ſonably, and in a conſtant and diligent uſe of all the means which God hath appointed to thatend, and with an honeſt inrention of employing his knowledge to the ſervice of God, and the furthe- rance of his pratice of Religion. 0 Is plain and eaſily attained by him. p That knowerth and is deeply ſenſible of his own want of knowledge, andof the great worth and neceſſity of knowledge, which will make him uſe all poſible means to it, and among other ways, Pray earneſtly to God for it. Or, that is honeſt and pious : for words of knowledge are oftunderſtood praftically,eſpecially in
x this Book. :
' 7 Go from the preſence of a fooliſh man 9, when
thou perceiveſt not iz him the lips of knowledge yr.
q Avoid the Fompony and converſation of ungodly men. -When they break forth into fooliſh or wicked diſcourles, leſt thou either be infefted by them,or ſeem to approve them.
8. The wiſdom of the prudent 5s to underſtand his
way 5 ; but thefolly of fools is deceit t. 5 It conſiſts not in vain Speculations, n a curious prying _ Into other mens matters, nor in cunning arts of deceiving others,
: bur in a diligent ſtudy of his own duty ,and of the way to true and
| eternal happineſs, £ The wit of ungodly men, which, though
| mY account their Wiſdom, is really their folly, is employed only in finding out ways of over-reaching and deceiving others, and- themſelves too.
9 * Fools « make a mock at fin x; but among the
* righteous y there is favour z. | w Wicked men, as appears from their oppoſition to the righteow
h:19:18*
1:34.10
37-3: T5 +
P'ROY ERS Ss.
God and Men. Or, as others render it, excuſe or cover ſm; ſin a= gainſt God or men, and then juſtifie or extenuate their ſins, which is to double the injury, Poflibly this Clauſe may be thus rendred, Sin deludes or makes a mock of Fools, or finners, 7«e. expoſeth them to ſhame and contempt, which is fitly oppoſed to favour in thenexr Clauſe. . And thus two Ancient and Learned Interpreters, Aquila and Theodotion, render its And this ſuits ex:aly with the Hebrew words, wheras in the other Tranſlation the Noun and Verb govern. ed by it are of divers Numbers, which though ſomtimes it be al.
{ lowed, yet is not to be ſuppoſed without neceſlity. But this I fub-