puniſh Unrizhteoutneſs, whereby the number of wicked menis di-
miniſhed, and the righteous are multiplied.
C H A P. XXIX.
The Excellency of Wiſdom, with Rules for Goyernmnent, 114; The Pa» recs Duty to correfF their Children, 15 17. The miſery of them that know not Gods [Law, 18- Of Anger, Pride, Thieving, Cowardiſe and Corruption, 19 —— 26, The godly and wicked an abominationtoeach other, 27.
FE! E that being often reproved, hardneth h;s neck a, FHeb. * f| © hal ſuddenly be deſtroyed, and that without re-
Man of re medy b.
Proojis a Is incorrigible and obſtinately perſiſts in thoſe ſins for which he is :eproved. 6 Utterly and irrecoverably,
»Chirco 2 * When the righteous are-[||in authority c, the
& 28.12, people rejoyce d: but when the wicked beareth rule 28, the people mourn e.
5 c:Which interpreration is confirmed from the oppoſite clauſ?, The 7” Hebrew word fiznifiesto increale either in number, or in dignity
creaſed. nd power. &d For the bleſſed eff As of their good government, e-Both for the oppretions and miſchiefs which they feel, and for the dreadful Judgments of God which rhey juſtly fear.
*Chixozrt 2 * Whoſo lovech wiſdom f, rejoyceth his father :
& 15.20. * but he that keepeth company with harlots g,ſpendeth & 27.11. þjs ſubſtance 6. Ch.5.9. f And therefore hateth and eſcheweth all folly and wickedneſs L = . g Whereby he plainly diſcovers himleif ro want Witdom;of which UK.15-13- fee Prov. 7+ 7, Oc. þ Whereby he not only ruineth himſelf 3 bur + Heb, » alſo grieveth his Father, as is implied from the oppoſite Clauſe, Men ofoþ. 4 The king by judgment 3 ſtabliſheth the land: but F iazios, he that receiveth gifts &, overthroweth ic. ; By the free and impartial exerciſe of Juſtice, k& Heb, @ Man ( for he would nor vouchſafe to call him a King,as being unworthy of that Name and Office } of Oblations, or Gifts, i. e. whole delight and common prattice it is to take Bribes, and fell Juſtice. | A man that flattereth his neighbour &, ſpreadeth a net for hisfeer /. k That praiſeth or applaudeth another in a ſinful ſtate or courſe: IKills him under a pretence of kindneſs: is an occaſion of his fin, and conſequently of deſtruttion, which poſſibly he may deſign to ac- compliſh by that means. 6 In the tranſgreflion of an evi! man there is aſnare 2: but the righteous doth (ing and rejoyce ».
P ROYERSB%
and wilfulneſs, by their wicked counſels and courſes whereby they ſeduce and infect the generality of the people,by their contempt of
God, of his juſt Laws and righteous Jud 4 IX and Advica of wiſe men. S Judgments,and of the Qpinions
; Juſt ſeek his ſoul s.
, t i
» Expoſe it to Gols wrath and to de trutionby their ſelf conceit
; + '
s Who do not ſcorn, but hexrken to the Counſels of God and of prudent. men- £ The wrath of God or of men who were enraged againſt it.
9 If a wiſe man contendeth with a fooliſh man. «, whether he rage or laugh, there 5s no reſt.
z Either judicially, or otherwiſe debatjog any matter with him, - endeavouring to convince him of any error. x Whether he, the wiſe man, rageth ( or is angry ) or laugheth, i. e« whether he deal ſharply and ſeverely with him, rebuking him for his Folly, or mildly and pleaſantly imiling at it,thereis no reſt, no end or fruir of the Debate, the Fool willnot be ſatisfied'nor convinced. Or as it is in the He- brew, He (to wit, the Fool laſt named,to whom the following Car- rlages may ſeem more fitly to agree ) both rageth and laugheth, ( He will not yield nor be convinced bur perſiſts in his folly, which he diſcovers ſometimes by his furious 8 unbridled Paſſions,and ſome= times by fooliſh Laughter and Scorning) and there is no r:ft,he will never be quieted.
Io | The blood-thirſty hate the upright y :
but the +Heb. well y And conſequently ſeek their ruine,as is implyed from the fol- I" lowing Clauſe. x Either1. torequire his Soul or Lif: at the hands of thole who have taken it away, Or 2: to preſerve it from thoſe who attempt to take it away, as this phraſe is taken, P/al; 142; 4, though commonly it ſignifie to ſeek to deſtroy ir. in 11 * A fool uttereth Þ all his mind s: but a wiſe *ch.14.34
»an keepeth it in till afterwards 6. Heb../? _ » All at once, unneceſſarily, and unſeaſonably, without reſerva- b1s (#it« tion or caution. 6 Till he have fit occaſion to expreſs it. % 12 If a ruler hearken toliesc, all his ſervants are wicked 4.
c Dzlight in Flatteries or Calumnies, or any lying words or de- ceitfuLand wicked pra@ices, 4 Partly becauſe he chuſeth only ſuch for his Service 3 and partly, becauſe they are either corrupted by his Example, or engaged by their place and Intereſt to pleaſe him, and comply with his baſe Luſts.
13 The poorand || the deceitful e man meet toge- 3 ther f: the LORD lightneth both' their eyes g- ||. Or, ths
© Heb. The Man of Deceits, or of Uſuriery i. e+ who hath enriched UJ*'*-
himſelf by ſuch practices. f Converſe together, and one needeth the other,as Chap: 22: 2. g Either their bodily eyes with the Light of the Sun, which promiſcuouſly ſhines upon both; or the Eyes of their Minds with the light of Reaſon and Grace, which he indiffe= rently gives to them; and therefore the one ſhould not envy norde- ſpiſe the other, but be ready to do good one to another,as God doth good to both.
14 * The king that faithfully judgeth the poor þ, his * Ch. 20: chrone ſhal be eſtabliſhed for ever. _
h And the rich too;but he names zhe poor,becauſe theſe are moſt op- prefſed and injured by others, and leafr regarded by Princes, and yet commitred to their more ſpecial care by the King of Kings. -
15 * Therod and reproof 5 give wiſdom : but a | Ver:17- * child left to himſelf & bringeth his mother / to ſhame. , _ * 2 Correction and Inſtruction going together. k Suffered tro follow Et TY his own W1ll or Luſts without reſtraint and chaſtening. 1 And Fa- ** ther too ; but he names only the Mother, either becaute her Indul- gence oft ſpoils the Child,or becauſe Children - commonly ſtand in leaſt awe of their Mothers, and abuſe the weakneſs of their Sex,and renderneſs of their Natures.
16 Whenthe wicked are || multiplied mn, tranſgrefſi- 1Or. A on increaſeth »:but * the righteous ſhal ſee their fall o. pr. -