e Heb: roll, &c. as a Man rolls a burden to another, which is too heavy for himſelf, imploring his help. Refer all thy Actions 7- and Concerns to God, and to his Glory, as the end of them, and in aſſiſtance and ſucceſs. f Thy honeſt deſires and deſigns ſhall be brought to an happy ifſue one way or other.
4 The LORD hath made g all :hings h for himſelf ; ;
* yea, even the wicked & for the day of evil /.
g Or, hath wrought, or doth work; for the Hebrews expreſs the preſent as well as the paſt time by this tenſe: he ordereth or diſpo- ſeth: for this may be underſtood either of the works of Creation,or of Providence» h And eſpecially all men. z For his own ſervice and Glory; for the diſcovery and illuſtration of his own Wiſdom, Power, Goodneſs, Truth, Juſtice, and his other moſt glorious Per- fections. & Wilful and impenitent ſinners. / For the time of pu- niſhment, as this Phraſe is uſed, Pſal. 49: 5: Jer: 17: 18. and elſe- where; of which the Scripture frequently ſpeaks, both to warn ſin- ners of their danger, and to ſfatisfie the minds of them which are a- mazed and diſquieted with the conſideration of the preſent impu- nity and felicity of wicked Men, Men make themiclves wicked, and God therefore makes them miſerable. :
5 * Every onerhat is proud in heart m, is an abomi-
though hand join in hand », he
»» Though he difſemble it in his outward Carriage and Counte- nance, as Pſal: 10, 4. Jn whoſe heart Pride rule!s » Though they have many Friends and Aſſiſtants. See the ſame Phraſe, Prov: 115:
6 By mercy and truth o iniquity is purged p ; and by the fearof the LORD q men depart from evil r.
0 Either, 1. By God's Mercy or Grace, and by his Truth in per- forming his promiſes made to ſinners in Chritt- Or, 2. By Mens Mercy and Truth, as thoſe very words are jointly uſed, Prov: 3. 3. & 20: 28. and elſewhere ; and as in the following Clauſe, the fear of the Lord is a Grace or Diſpoſition in Men : by a merciful and juſt and faithful frame of Heart, and courſe of Lite: which are here oppoſed to Sacrifices, as mercy is, Hof: 6: 6. by which the hy- pocritical Jews expected to obtain the expiation of their Sins. p Not meritoriouſly but inſtrumenrally, as they qualitie a man to offer up acceptable prayers to God for the Pardon of his fins, and to receiveand apply to himſelf that pardon which Chriſt by his Blood hath purchaſed for all ſincere Believers, who are filled with Mercy and Truth, and other Graces. q By a filial Reverence or reſpecr unto God, and by an holy fear of offending God, and by a dread of God's Judgments. » They are kepc fram abuſing pardoning Mer- cy, and from returning .to folly or wickedneſs. y0 he ſheweth, that Juſtification and Sanctification are conſtant and inleparable Companions.
7 Whena mans ways pleaſe the LORD, he maketh
Even his enemies to be at peace with him 5.
s By diſpoſing their hearts to kindneſs towards him-
8 X Better 25 a little with righteouſnels, than great revenues without right ?.
£ This was in effect ſaid before, Prov: 15: 16. and is here repea- red, partly becauſe of the great importance and uſetulneſs of rhis truth, and partly becauſe men are.very hardly brought to a ſerious belief of it+
9 * A mans heart deviſeth his way u, but the LORD direceth his fteps x.
« Conſiders and propoſes to himſelf what he will do, x Over- ruleth and diſpoſeth all their deſigns and actions as he pleaſeth, and and nor as they lift.
6.
Wt» = —_—
S
Chap. X\ XCh-2;
RR SY
a; * his mouth tranſgreſſeth not b in judgment.
» Heb. D:wvination, which is ſometimes taken in a good ſenſe for , Prudence, as it 1s 1/a: 3: 3. A great fagacity and piercing Judgment to dilcern dubjous and difficult Caſes. z Or, ſhuuld be, for the verb 15 wanting in the Hebrew, and this may be ſupplyed as well as #.
a Men can neither thivk nor ſpeak wiſely and well of themſelves,
And he ſeems not ſo much to ſpeak of the Matter of Fa&, as if if were thus inall Kings, which is nororiouſly and confefſedly untrue as of the duty of Kings, in whom Wiſdom is a neceſſary Qualificati. ona. For thus the two following Proverbs concerning Kings,v. 12:13. muſt be underſtood, otherways they are repugnant ro tommon Ex. perience- 4 Either, r. Of witeKings; who only are worthy of tha Name and Office; King being here put for a wiſe King, as a Name \ 1s put for a govd Name, and a Woman fora good Woman, Eccleſ: 7:28 and then this is rrue in fact, as it was in David, 2 Sam: I4; 1”; 2nd in Sclomon, 1 Kings 3: 28. Or, 2. Of Kings in general, in the Conſe before given: for ſceing the word is generally expreſſed withour a= ny limitation both here and v: 12, r3. it may ſeem preſumption to confine it to thoſe few Kings which are or were wiſe and good. 6 Or, Shall, or ſhouldnt tranſgrejz, or go beyond the bounds of Religi- + on and Juſtice. | Lev is:
11 * A juſt weight and ballance are the LORD's c ; Ch: 11 7 all the weights 4 of the bag re his work. t Heb:
c Are God's work,as it follows; made by his direction & appoint= he ſtone ment fo as no man can corrupt or alter them without violating God's Rights and Authority, and incurring his ditpleaſure. 4 Heb: the flones, which they then uted as weights. See on Prov: 1 1. 1.
12 It zs an abomination to kings to commit wiC- kednels e ; for * the throne is eſtabliſhed by righteout- ; -- neſs f. ” © Ch,
e They ſhould not only abſtain from all wicked practices, bur ab- io hor them borh in their own perſons, and in all their ſervants and ſubjects. Ir is roo plain, that he ſpeaks not of the common practice; but of the duty of Kings, as on v. 10 And ſuch affirmative ex. preſſions are oft uſed in Scripture to expreſs mens duty only, as 1 Cor: 6: 19, your body is ( i; e; ſhould be ) che temple, &c. and 7. 32. careth, &c i: e: ought to care. f And ( which is 1mplied) weakned, and ſometimesoverthrown by unrighteofiſneſs ; and therefore this is neceſlary for their own ſecurity and happineſs.
13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings g, and
they love him that ſpeaketh right. . £ All wife and good Kings do, and all Kings ſhould delight in employing ſuch Counſellors, Judges, and Officers under them,: 2s are jult and fairhful in their Counſels and Sentences, and Ations becauſe ſuch bring great Honour and 2dvantage to them..
14 * The wrath of a king isas Metſengers of death h; *Ch ig.i but a wiſe man will pacifie it z, |