3 Are brought upon men by the good or bad uſc of their tongues, 2 Either 1. The Tongue ; that love and uſe much ralking, which
17-3* | 8 ® The wotds of a[| tale-bearer o are [|as wounds p,
___ li and they go down into the j innermolt parts of the
£ 26. 22. belly 9. | Ar, whiſl= _ 6 Who privily ſlandereth his Neighbour. p Deeply wound the erer. Reputation, and afterwards the Heart of the flandered perſon. Dr,like as Compare Prov. 12, 18. Or, as others render the word are 4s ſmooth 'Or, #ut, or flattering, i.e. they really are ſo; the particle as, being . oft uſed Mu men toexpreſs the truth of the thing, as hath been noted betore- See re wound. alſo Job. 1.14. They are ſofterthan Oil, as is faid P/al. 55.21. For T Heb. flanderers uſe to cover and nſher in their calumnies with pretences wers, of kindneſs and compaſſion to them whom they traduce. q They + wound mortally, p:ercing to the heart, which js oft meant by rhe
' belly, as Fob t5. 35. & Z2+ 19, &C-+ : :
'9 He alſo thac is flothful in his work, is brother to
him thac is a great waſter r. | r They are like, though they take ſeveral paths, yet both come
to one end, even to Extream want and poverty. 10 * The name of the LORD s zs a ſtrong tower ? ;
27.1. & the righteous « runneth into it, and Þ is ſafe. $1. 3.&91, 5 7. e. The Lord as he hath revealed himſelf in his works, and 2-& 434 2, eſpecially in his word by his Promiſes, and the Declarations of his Heb. # infinite perfeQions, and of his good will to his People. 7 Is ſuth- t aloft, cient for our ProteQtionin cafe of the greateſt dangers. « Which | limitation te adds to beat down the vain confidences of thoſe men, who though they live in a grols neglect and contempt of God, will expe& Salvation from him. ;
It * The rich mans wealth zs his ſtrong city, and as
an high wall in his own conceit z. u Ale truſts to his Wealth, as that which will either enable him to reſiſt his enemy, or at leaſt purchale his favour. I2 * Before deſtruction the heart of man is haughty
x, and before honour is y humility. x Pride is a cauſe and preſage of ruine, as 1s noted Prov, 16. 18. : 7 Or, goeth. This Clauſe we had, Prov. 15. 33. Heb. re 73 He that f anſwereth a matter before he heareth
«hs 3 2, it is folly andibame 2 unto him.
wed. . zBefore he hath fully heard and conſidered what another is ſpea= king avoutit. # It isa ſhameful folly,though he ſeck the reputati- on of a wiſe man by it, as if he could readily and throughly un- derſtand all that another can ſay before he hath uttered ir.
14 The ſpirit 6 of a man will ſuſtain his infirmity « ;
but a wounded 4d ſpirit who can bear e ?
_ 63.e. The ſou], to wit, which is unwounded, as appears by the oppoſite branch of the verſe ; which is vigorous and chearfu), ſup- ported by the ſenſe of God's Love, and the Conſcience of its own Iategrity, and the proſpe& of its preſent Peace, and future Hap- pineſs, e Will eaſily ſupport him under any bodily or outward troubles, as God's people have oft found by experience. d Dejett- ed with the ſenfe of its own guilt and miſery. e Itis moſt grievous and intollerable without divine aſliſtance«
15 The heart of che prudent getteth knowledge f,
and the ear of the wiſe getteth knowledge g. F By employing his thoughts and ſtudies upon it. g By a greedy and diligent attention to thoſe from whom he may learn it,
16 * A mans gift maketh room for him 5, and bring- eth him before great men 3.
h Procures him free acceſs to great men. Heb. enlarg:th him, as this very Phraſe is rendred, Pſal. 4. 1. and elſewhere ; freeth him from ſtraits and oppreſſions. 7 Gets him favour and tree converla- gon with them,
17 He that is firſt in his own cauſe & ſeemeth juſt I ;
but his neighbour cometh » and ſearcheth him ».
+ He that firſt pleadeth his cauſe. ! Both to himſelf & to the Judge or Court, by his fair pretences. m To contend with him in judgment,and to plead his cauſe.» Examineth the truth and weight of his Allegations, and diſprovetli them,and dereRterh his weakneſs: Or, diſcovers him : for ſeeking or ſearching acre oft put for fndivg, as Prove 17. 9, 19+ and elſewhere.
Ch.to 15,
Ch 11! 2.
Ch. 17-8. C 21, I4.
is oft cenſured as a lin, and a cauſe of miſchief, See Prov, 10. 19. ' Jaman 9. Or, 2. The uſe of their rongue in either of thoſe ways | Which are plainly ſuppoſed in the former clauſe ofthe verſe : they
' j
| who do not only ſpeak well, which a wicked man may ſometimes do ; or ſpeakill, wh:ch a good man may poſliby do, but do love, and therefore accuſtom themſelves to ſpeak well or ill, a Shallre. Clive cither good orevil according to the quality of their Speeches,
| 22 * Whoſe findetha Wite 6, findeth a good thing c,
and obtaineth favour of the LORD Ad,
b Either 1. Simply a Wife; for a Wite, though ſhe be not the beſt of her kind,is to be eſteemed a bleſſing, being uſeful both for ſo= ciety of life, Gen. 2. 18. and for the mitigation of a mans cares and troubles, and for the prevention of ſins. Or, 2. Good Wife; one that deſerves the Name, and performs the duty of that relation ; a wiſe and worthy Wife, as this w.rd may feem to imply, being
: deduced from the Hebrew word, i/ch,which ſometimes notes a ran , of Eminency. And this limitation and explication of the word | May be gatiered both from the following commendations, which | would hardly be given toa bad Wife,and from the uſage of Scripe ; ture in which this Ellipſis is frequent, as a parh or way is put for a : good path or way, Pſal. 119- 1. Prov. 15. I». an anſwer for a good an« . ſwer, Prov. 15. 23. a King for a good King, Prov. 16. 10. & 29. 4.4 name for a good name, Prov. 22. «. Eccleſ. 7. 1. &c. c A ſingular Bleſſing. 4 Obtaineth her not by his own Wir, or Art, or Dili- gence, but by God's good Providence rowards him, which ordereth that and all other events as it pleaſerth him.
23 The poor uſeth intreaties e, but the rich anſwer- eth * roughly f.
e Humbly begs the favour of rich men, as his neceſſities and oc- caſions require it, f Speaketh proudly and ſcornfully either to the poor. or to others that converſe with him, being puffed up with a conceit of his Riches, and ofhis ſelf-ſufficiency. E
24 A man that hath Friends g muſt ſhew himſelf fri-
endly ; * and there is a friend :barſticketh cloſer hthan
a brother,