^^ w Mm V«(i'* , W«, ? J' '■ i I: ifil i ,**' iT.I'f ^l\^ •■ V^ [* MAY r> 1900 * ^^BlCkl'--^ S* Divis,«n.J^O)|5| THE Prcaclt^r'e ^oinpktc ^omiktical COMMENTARY ON THE OLD TESTAMENT (ON AN ORIGINAL PLAN) (Ulith (Critical aub (Explvuiatori) ilotcs, £nt)ii:cs, (Etc, (Etc. BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. lUCHARD D. DICKINSON, 89, FARRINGDON STREET. 1882. HOMILETICAL COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OP PROVERBS. WITH COPIOUS rLL r ST RATIONS. BY THE REV. W. HARRIS. AUTHOR OF "outlines OF SKRMONS ON THE MIRACLES AND PARABLES OF THE OLD TESTAMENT." RICHARD D. DICKINSON, 89, FARRINGDON STREET. 1882. DAKHNU AND SON -MJKERVA STEAM PBiNTlNG OiFICE, 35, EA.STCHEAP, K.C. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction and Preface PAGE 1 CHAPTER I. VERSES Critical Notes ... 2 1-4 The Author, his Method and his Object 2 5, 6 The Characteristics of a Wise Man 4 7-9 The Root of True Knowledge and the Means of its Attain- ment 6 10-19 Enticement to Sin and Exhor- tation ai:ainst yielding to it 7 20-33 The Cry of Wisdom 11 CHAPTER II. Critical Notes IS 1-5 Human Understanding and Divine Knowledge 18 6-11 God as a Giver, and Man as a Receiver 21 12-20 The Character of those from whom Wisdom Preserves ... 24 21, 22 The Contrast in the End from the Contrast in the Way ... 27 CHAPTER III. Critical Notes 28 1-4 Blessings from the Remem- brance of God's Command- ments 29 5, 6 Exhortation to confidence in God 32 7-12 The way (1) to Health, (2) to Wealth, (3) to Endurance ... 34 13-18 Wisdom and Her Gifts 39 19,20 One of the Proofs of God's Wisdom 43 21-26 God's Keeping, the Reward of Man's Keeping 45 27-29 Doing Justice andLoving Mercy 47 30 Unlawful Strife Forbidden ... 49 31-35 The Oppressor not to be Envied 50 CHAPTER IV. Critical Notes ,o2 1-4 The Reciprocal Duties of Parents and Children 52 5-13 The One Thing Needful... .' 54 14-19 Contrasted Paths and Opposite Cha7-acters 58 20-27 The Path of Safety 62 CHAPTER V, Critical Notes 67 1-20 Bitter and Sweet Waters ... 67 21-23 Three Reasons for Avoiding the Way of Sin 73 CHAPTER VI. Critical Notes 75 1-5 Self-imposed Bondage 75 6-11 Industry and Indolence 78 12-19 A Student of Iniquity SI 20-23 The Law of God's Word 86 24-35 A SiJecial Sin and its Penalties from which He who Keeps God's Law will be Kept ... 89 CHAPTER VII. Critical Notes 92 1-4 The Source of True Life, etc.... 93 5-27 A Picture Drawn from Life ... 95 CHAPTER VIII. Critical Notes 99 1-3 The Nature of Wisdom's Call 101 4-9 God's Speech Meeting Man's Need 103 10,11 Wisdombetter than Wealth... 107 12, 13 Wisdom and Prudence 109 14-16 The Source of True Power ... 112 17-21 The Reward of Earnest Seekers 113 22-31 The Personal Wisdom of God 117 32-36 Exliortation Founded on Hu- man Obligations to Divine Wi.sdom 121 CONTENTS. CHAPTER IX. Critical Notes 1-12 Wisdom's Feast 13-18 The Feast of Folly CHAPTER X. Critical Notes 1 Parental Grief and Gladness ... 1 Tlie Comparative Value of Ricfhteonsness and Riches... 3, 4 Divine and Human Providence 5 The Use and the Neglect of Opjiortunities 6. 7, &11 The Way to Present Blessed- ness and Future Fame 8 Tlie l^oer and the Talker 0,10 Opposite Characters 1 2 IjOvc and Hatred 13, 14 Laying Up to Give Out 15, 16 A False and a True Estimate of Life 1 7 The Influence of Example 18 Three Degrees of Moral Foolish- ness Speech and Silence The Source of True Riches . . . A Touchstone of Character . . The Inheritance of Fear and Desire The Wliirlwind and the Sure Foundation The Vexatiousness of a Slug- gish Servant Ijong Life Hopes Realised & Disappointed God's Way, Destruction and Salvation The Earth the Possession of the Riirhteous Outlines and Suggestive Corn- Comments, (for Homiletics, see pages 158 and 168) Acceptable Words 19-21 31 32 CHAPTER XL Critical Notes 1 Just Weight 2 Pride anil Humility 3 The Infallible Guide 4 See Homiletics on chap. x. 2 ... 5,6 jMade ov Marred by Desires , . 7 The Death of the Wicked ... 8 The Wicked Coming in the Stead of the Righteous 9 Tlie Just Man Delivered from the Moutli of tlie Hypocrite ]l), 11 The Reward of the Righteous Citizen or Ruler. The Fate of tlie Uiiri^diteou-s One ... 12,13 Contempt and Tale-bearing 14 Hehusmanship 124 124 133 13R 137 139 142 146 149 lol 153 156 158 161 164 166 168 172 174 175 177 179 179 180 183 187 188 189 190 190 192 195 139 199 201 203 206 211 214 VEllSES PAGE 15 Outlines and Suggestive Com- ments. (For Homiletics, see page 75) 216 16 A Gracious Woman 217 17 Mercy and Cruelty 219 18-20 Sowing and Reaping 223 2i Deliverance from a Confede- rated Opposition 227 22 Pi-ecious Things possessed by Unworthy Owners 229 23 The Desire of the Righteous, and the Expectation of the Wicked 231 24-26 The Liberal and the Niggardly Man .". 233 27 Dili-ent Seekers 237 28 Trust in Riches, and Trust in God 238 29 Foolish Home Rulers 240 30 The Winner of Souls 241 31 The Recompense of the Righ- teous and the Wicked 244 CHAPTER XII. Critical Notes 246 1 The Love of Knowledge and the Proof of it 246 2 Outlines and Suggestive Com- ments. (For Homiletics, see pages 29 and 227) 249 3 A Right Desire and the Means of its Attainment 250 4 A Husband's Crown 251 5-8 'I'liougiits and Words and their Result 254 9 Show and Reality 259 10 Care for Animals and Cruelty to Men 261 11 Satisfaction from Tillage 266 12-14 The Desire of Wicked Men and the Fruit of Righteousness... 267 15,16 Two Examples of Foolishness and Wisdom 271 1 7-1 9&22 Wounding and Healing 274 20 Joy from Peace 278 21 All Working for the Good of the Righteous 280 23 The Concealment of Knowledge and the Proclamation of Fool- ishness 283 24 The Reward of Diligence ... 285 25 Heaviness of Heart and its Cure 286 26 The Guide and the Seducer ... 288 27 The Loss of the Slothful, and the Gain of the Diligent ... 289 28 The Way of life 291 CHAPTER XIII. Critical Notes 292 1 The Wise Son and the Scorner 293 2,3 Keeping the Mouth 294 CONTENTS. 339 VERSES PAGE i The Disappointment of the Sluggard's Desires 296 5 A Lawful Hatred 297 6 Overthrow by Sin 299 7,8 The Law of Compensation ... 300 9 The Abiding Li-ht 303 10 The Parent of Strife 305 11 Two AVays of Growing Kich ... 306 12 Deferred and Accomplished Hope 308 13 Bound by Law 312 14 Living by Ptule 313 ISA Bad Way and a Good Under- standing ... 316 16 Dealing with Knowledge ... 320 17 A Social Link 321 18 The AVay to Honour 323 19 The Abomination of the Fool 324 20 ComiDanionship, Constructive or Destructive 326 21 Pursuit and Repayment 330 22 An Inheritance Incorrujitilde 331 23 Land and its Tillers 333 24 The Child and the Ptod 334 25 Want and Satisfaction 337 CHAPTER XIV. Critical Notes 1 The House Builder and the House Destroyer 2 Fearing and Despising the Lord 3 Speech a Rod 4 The Clean Crib 5 Outlines and Suggestive Com- ments. (For Homiletics see pages 274 and 379) 6 Seeking, but not Finding 7-9 The Fool and the Prudent Man 10 Secrets of the Heart 11 Outlines and Suggestive Com- ments. (For Homiletics see page 27) 12 What Seems to Be, and What Is 13 True and False Mirth 14 Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction 15-18 Revelations of Character 19 A Levelling Law 20, 21 An Aggravated Ciime, a Ques- tionable Virtue, and a Present Blessing 22 A Fatal Error and a Certain Good 23 The ProBt of Labour 24 Wealth, with and without Wis- dom 25 Deliverance by Truth 26 A Sure Refuge 27 Outlines and Suggestive Com- ments. (For Homiletics see pages 381 and 313) 28 A King's True Glory 29 Great Understanding 170 339 342 343 15 16 17 344 18 345 346 19 349 352 20 355 355 21 22 358 360 363 368 23 24 372 374 28 29 377 379 30 31-33 381 384 384 1 386 2 VERSES PAGE 30 A Sound Heart 337 31 The Oppressed andtheir Oppres- sors 389 32 The Death of the Rigliteous and the Wicked 391 33 The Hidden Made Manifest ... 394 34 National Salvation 395 35 A Wise Servant 398 CHAPTER XV. Critical Notes 399 1,2 The Use of Knowledge 399 3 Divine Intelligence 40i 4, 5 Outlines and Suggestive Com- ments. (For Homiletics see pages 274 and 293) 403 6 Like in Circumstances, but Unlike in Character 405 7 Outlines and Suggestive Com- ments. (For Homiletics see paje 399) 406 8,9 Praying and Living 406 10 Out of the Way 409 11 Two Worlds 410 12 Self-Destroyed 412 13 A Cheerful Face and a Broken Spirit ... 413 14 Outlines and Suggestive Com- ments. (For Homiletics see pages 246 and 323) 415 The Continual Feast 417 A Treasure without Trouble ... 419 Two Feasts 421 Outlines and Suggestive Com- ments. (For Homiletics see pages 386 and 400) 423 The Way of the Slothful and the Righteous 423 Outlines and Suggestive Com- ments. (For Homiletics see page 136) 426 Opjiosite Tastes 4-7 Outlines and Suggestive Com- ments. (For Homiletics see pages 214 and 590) 429 Joy fi-om a Seasonable Word... 429 The Upward and the Downward Path 430 25 Destruction and Establishment 433 26 Wicked Thoughts and Holy Words 436 The Curse of Covetousness ... 437 Studying to Answer 440 G-od Near and Far Off 441 Cheerfulness and Good Tidings 444 How to Give and Take Reproof 446 CHAPTER XVI. Critical Notes 4."0 The Heart and the Tongue ... 451 2 The Weigher of Spirits 454 CONTENTS. VERSES ^'\'i^ 3 The Estaljlishment of Tlionghts 4;)b 4 AUTliings for God 458 i, Heart-I'ride 461 G The Purging of Iniquity ... 463 7 Pleasing God 466 8 Outlines and Suggestive Com- ments. (For Homiletics see pages 415 and 421) 468 0 Man Proposes, God Disposes .. 468 lO-lT) King.s (For Homiletics on verse li see also on page 190) ... 472 16 Outlines and Suggestive Com- ments. (For Homiletics see page 107) 477 17 Soul-Preservation 479 18, 19 The End of Pride 482 20,21 The Fruits of Trust in the Lord 484 22-24 An Unfailing Spring 488 25 Outlines and Suggestive Com- ments. (For Homiletics see page 355) 490 26 The Mainspring of Human Industry 490 27-30 Different Species of the same Genus 491 31 A Crown of Glory 493 3-2 Taking a City and Ruling the Spirit 496 33 The Lot and its Disposer ... 499 CHAPTER XVII. Critical Notes ... • 500 1 See Homiletics on chap, xv., 17 421, 422 2 The Foolish Son and the Wise Servant 500 3 The Trier cif Hearts 502 4 The Evil Speaker and the Ivistener 503 5 A Double Revelation 504 6 Father and Children 505 7 A Twofold Incongruity 506 8 The Power of Gifts 507 9 How to make Friends and How to Separate Them 508 10 Correction must be Adapted to the Cliaracter of the Offender 509 11-13 Phases of Evil 511 14 The Beginning of Strife 512 15 Inversion and Restitution .. 514 16 Neglected Opportunities 516 17, 18 True Friendship 518 19 Outlines and Suggestive Com- ments (For Homiletics, see pages 192. 452, and 512) ... 522 20. 21 See Homiletics on chap, x, 1, 13, 14, etc., and on verse 24 137, 158, 526 22 The Merry Heart 522 23 Bribery 524 24 The Eyes of a Fool and those of a Wise Man 52t) VEKSES P-^GE 25 See Homiletics on chap. x. 1 ... 137 26 Smiting the Just 528 27, 28 Two Badges of a Wi.se Man ... 531 CHAPTER XVIII. Critical Notes 533 1,2 Solitude 533 3 The Short-lived Prosperity of Evil Men 536 4 A Good Man's Mouth 537 5 See Homiletics on chap. xvii. 15 and 26 514, 528 6-8 Folly and its Results 539 9 Twin-Brothers ... 541 10, 11 Two Citadels 542 12 See Homiletics on chap. xi. 2 andxvi. 18 192, 482 13 Answering before Hearing ... 544 14 Sickness of Body and Wounds of Soul 546 15 Prudence and Knowledge ... 549 16 The Influence of Talent 550 17 Cross-Examination 550 18 The Use of the Lot 5r.2 19 Castle Bars 553 20, 21 The Power of the Little Mem- ber 555 22 A Twofold Good 557 23 The Rich and Poor 558 24 The Obligations of Friendship 559 CHAPTER XIX. Critical Notes 561 1 The Better Part 561 2,3 Ignorance leading to Sin 562 4 Suggestive Comment. (For Homiletics see page 370) ... 567 5,9 The End of a False Tongue ... 567 6, 7 Two Proofs of Human Selfish- ness 568 8, 9 See Homiletics on verses 2 and 5, and on chaps, viii. 36, and ix. 12 122, 128, 562, 567 10 Incongruities 569 11,12 Two Kings 571 13, 14, 18 Domestic Sorrow, and How to Avoid it 573 15 See Homiletics on chap. vi. 9, 10, 79 16 A Double Keeping 57 17 The Best Investment 576 18-20 Relative Duties 578 21 Many Plans Working to One End 579 22 Poverty of Heart and Poverty of Circumstance 5S0 23 See Homiletics on chaps, x. 27, xiv. 26, xviii. 10, ...179, 381, 542 24 See Homiletics on chap. xxvi. 13-15 720 25, 29 See Homiletics on chap. xvii. 10 509 26-28 Possibilitiesof Human Depravity 581 CONTENTS. 4 5 6-12 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26,28 27 29 30 CHAPTER XX. Critical Notes 582 Stron-r Drink 582 See Homiletics on chaps, xiv. 29, xvi. 32, xix. 12 ... 386, 497, 571 4... 146 584 585 190 79 588 See Homiletics on chap Deep Sea Dredging An Universal Challenge, a General Kule, and a Rare Virtue For Homiletics see also See Homiletics on chap. vi. 10, 1 1 Bargaining See Homiletics on chaps, iii. ]4, 15, viii. 11, xii. 14, xviii. 20,21 39,107,267,555 Necessary Security 589 Bad Bread 589 Thought before Action 590 See Homiletics on chaps, x. 19, xi. 13 168, 211 An Unnatural Child and a Natural Law 591 See Homiletics, chaps, xiii. 11, xxi. 5-7 306, 609 The Recompenser of Evil ... 592 See Homiletics on chap. xi. 1... 190 God over All Religious Vows Pillars of Government The Candle of the Lord... The Glory of Youth and Age.. Pain as a Preventive of Pain.. 593 595 596 597 604 605 CHAPTER XXI. Critical Notes 605 1 The King of Kings 606 2 See Homiletics on chap. xvi. 2... 454 3 The More Acceptable Sacrifice 607 4 The Ploughing of the Wicked 608 J- 7, 17 Two Roads to Wealth 609 8 Two Ways 611 9, 19 An Angry Woman! 613 10 The Desire of the Wicked ... 614 11 Instruction for those who Need It 12 God's Surveillance of the Wicked 13 The Cry of the Poor 14 Tlie Pacification of Anger .. 15 The Joy of Righteousness ... 1 6 Like to Like 18 The Ransom of the Righteous 622 19, 20 See Homiletics on verses 5-7 and 9 609, 21 A Noble Pursuit and a Rich Prize 22 A Wise Man and a IVIighty City 625 23 See Homiletics on chap. xiii. 3 294 615 616 618 619 619 621 613 624 24 A Name of Deorces.. 627 VERSES PAGE 25, 26 The Sword of the Sluggard ... 628 27 The Sacrifice of the Wicked ... 630 28 Outlines and Suggestive Com- ments. (For Homiletics see page 275) 631 29 The Face and the Way 631 30, 31 Counsel Against the Lord ... 632 CHAPTER XXII. Critical Notes 633 1 Better than Gold 634 2 Levelling Down and Levelling Up ... _ 636 3 See Homiletics on chaji. xiv. 16 364 4 See Homiletics on chap. iii. 1-18 29,34,39 5, 6 A Hedged-up Way 637 7 An Analogy Affirmed and a Contrast Suggested 639 8 A Worthless Seed and a Rotten Staff 641 9 The Bountiful Eye 642 10 A Man who Ought to Dwell Alone 643 11 A Road to Royal Friendship... 644 12 The Preservation of Knowledge 645 13 An Active Imagination 647 14 A Deep Pit 649 15 A Fact Stated and a Duty Inferred 650 16 Oppression and Servility 651 17-21 Trust from Knowledge, and Blessedness from Trust ... 652 22, 23 God the Spoiler of the Spoiler 656 24, 25 An Infectious and Dangerous Disease 657 26, 27 Suretyship and its Dangers... 658 28 See Homiletics on chap, xxiii. 10 666 29 The Destiny of the Diligent. (See also Homiletics on page 285) 659 CHAPTER XXIIL Critical Notes 660 1-3 The Temptations of the Table.. 661 4, 5 The Deceitfulness of Riches ... 662 Q-% Feigned Generosity 664 9 The Morally Incurable 665 10, 11 The Rights of Private Property 666 12-28 Parental Duties and Parental Joys 668 29-35 The Drunkard's Picture 673 CHAPTER XXIV. Critical Notes 675 1-6 House Building 675 7 A False Estimate and a True One 677 8, 9 See Homiletics on chap. vi. 12,19 81 coy TENTS. VERSES 10 11, 12 13, 14 15, l»j 17, IS 19, 20 21, 22 23 -2G 27 28, 29 30-34 1-3 4,5 6,7 8-n 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19,20 21,22 23 24 • 25 26 28 TAGE The Day of Adversity 678 Positive Punisliiuent foraNega- tive Clime ... 680 Honey and Wisdom 682 A Social Amlnish 683 Tlie Fall of an Enemy 684 Sec Homiletics on verse 1, and on cliap. xiii. 9 303,675 Tiule and rieverence 685 Impartiality of Truth 687 Plan and I'atience 688 An Uncalled-for Testimony ... 689 The Sluggard '.s Vineyard ... 690 CHAPTER XXV. Critical Notes God's Mysteries and Man's Re- search See Homiletics on chap. xx. 26 and 28 Sel f -promotion Two Ways of Treating an Enemy Giving and Taking See Homiletics on chap. xiii. 17, Clouds without Rain Forbearance and Persuasiveness Use and Abuse Obtrusiveness See Homiletics on chap. xii. 18, Misplaced Confidence and Un- seasonable Songs A Blessed Recompense The Way to Treat a Backbiter See Homiletics on chap. xxi. 9, Colli Water and Good News .. The Evil Result of Moral Cowardice Too much of a Good Thing ... A Defenceless City CHAPTER XXVI. Critical Notes 1 A Gift Wrongly Bestowed ... 2 The Causeless Curse 3-11 A Low Level 12-16 Self-conceit and Indolence 17 Needless Interference 18-22 See Homiletics on chaps, xvii. 14, xviii. 6-8 513, 23-28 Counterfeit Friendship CHAPTER XXVII. Critical Notes 1 Divine Property 2 Self Praise 3,4 Wrath and Envy 5,6,9-1 1,14 Tests of Friendship 7 Want of Appetite .. • 8 A Man and His Plac 714 714 715 716 720 721 539 721 723 724 725 726 728 731 13, VERSES 1 12 See Homiletics on chap. xiv. 15, 15, 16 See Homiletics on chaps, xix. ] 3, XX. 16 iiio, 17 A Social Whetstone 18 The Reward of Service 1 9 A Correct Likeness 20 Insatiability 21 A Crucible for Character 22 See Homiletics on chaps, xvii. 10, and xix. 29 509, 23-27 Model Farming CHAPTER XXVIII. 'AGE 364 589 733 735 735 737 733 581 739 693 2 o 694 4,5 6 596 7 G96 8 9 697 699 10 321 11 701 12 702 13 703 14 704 274 15-17 18 704 706 19 708 20-22 613 709 21 23 711 712 24 713 25, 26 28 Critical Notes 740 Cowardice and Courage 741 The Penalty of Revolt 742 The Most Inexcusable Oppressor 743 Law-keepers and Law-breakers 744 See Homiletics on chap. xix. 1 582 See Homiletics on chap. x. 1 ... 137 See Homiletics on chap. xiii. 22 332 See Homiletics on chap. xv. 8, 9 , 407, 408 See Homiletics on chap. xxvi. 27 722 Wisdom in Wealth and Poverty 746 See Homiletics on chap. xi. 10 206 Confession and Forgiveness .., 747 See Homiletics on chaps, xii. 15, xiv. 16 271, 365 Vice and Virtue in High Places 749 See Homiletics on chaps, x. 9. xi. 3 U>L 195 See Homiletics on chap. xii. 11 266 See Homiletics on chaps, xiii. 11, xxi. 5 306, 609 See Homiletics on chap. xvii. 23 524 See Homiletics on chap, xxvii. 5, 6 728 Robbing Parents 749 Self-Confidence 751 See Homiletics on chaps, xi. 24-26, xiv. 31 234, 389 See Homiletics on chap. xi. 10 206 CHAPTER XXIX. Critical Notes 754 1 Reproof and Destruction 754 2 See Homiletics on chap. xi. 10 206 3 See Homiletics on chaps, x. 1, v. 1-20 es, 137 4 See Homiletics on cliap. xvi. 10-15 472 5 See Homiletics on chap. xxvi. 23-28 721 6 A Snare and a Song 755 7 See Homiletics on chaps, xiv. 31, xxiv. 11, 12 369, 680 8 The Citizen's Enemy and the Citizen's Friend ... 756 9 See Homiletics on chaps, xxiii. 9, xxvi. 3-11 m:>, 716 CONTENTS. VERSES PAGE 10 Soul-seekers and Soul-haters... 757 11 See Homiletics on chap. x. 19-21 168 .12 A Moral Cancer in a King'.s Court 759 13 See Homiletics on chap. xxii. 22 636 14, 15 See Homiletics on chaps, xvi. 10-15, xiii. 24, xix. 13-18, 335, 472, 573 16 Victory not with the Majority 760 17 See Homiletics on chai?. xix. IS 573 18 Divine Revelation and Human Obedience 761 19,21 Masters and Servants 763 20, 22 See Homiletics on chap. xiv. 17 and 29 363, 386 23 See Homiletics on chaps xi. 2, xvi. 18 192,482 24 Criminal Partnership.s 763 25,26 Safety from a Snare 765 27 See Homiletics on chap, xxviii. 4 744 CHAPTER XXX. Critical Notes 767 1-9 The Soi-irce of True Humility... 768 5, 6 The Word of God 770 7-9 The Middle Way 772 10 See Homiletics on chap. xxiv. 28, 29 ... 689 11-17 Four Manifestations of Ungod- liness 774 18-20 Depths of Wickeiness 776 21-23 Burdens Grievous to he Borne.. 776 24-28 Lowly Teachers 777 29-31 Kingly Qualities 778 32, 33 See Homiletics on chap. xvii. l4 513 CHAPTER XXXI. Critical Notes 779 1-9 Divine Commands from a M'>- ther's Lips 780 10-31 A Model Matnm 781 HOMILETIC COMMENTAEY ON PROVERBS. INTRODUCTION AND PREFACE. The Hebrew word for proverb (mashal) means a comparison. Hence it includes more than we generally understand by the English word, viz., a pithy sentence expressing in a few words a well-known or obvious truth. When books were few it was most natural that observations on life and manners should be compressed into the smallest possible compass : hence proverbial teaching has been employed from the most remote antiquity. It is highly probable that all proverbial sayings were at first literally co7nparisons, as this would tend to fix them more indelibly upon the memory. But the word by degrees came to express that which we now understand it to signify. Although a few more lengthy discourses are found in this book, it consists mainly of such short proverbial sentences, often illustrated and enforced by most striking metaphors. It has been almost universally received by both Jewish and Christian writers as the inspired production of Solomon. The most convincing proof of its canonicity is the fact that the New Testament contains many quota- tions from it. Compare Prov. iii. 11, 12, with Heb. xii. 5, 6 ; Prov. iii. 34, with Jas. iv. 6 ; Prov. x. 12, with 1 Pet. iv. 8 ; Prov. xi. 31 (Sejjt.), with 1 Pet. iv. 18 ; Prov. xxii. 9 (Sejji.), with 2 Cor. ix. 7 ; Prov. xxv. 21, 22, with Rom. xii. 20 ; Prov. xxvi. 11, vv-itli 2 Pet. ii. 22 ; Prov. xxvii. 1, with Jas. iv. 13, 14. But, were these wanting, its superiority to every other book of a similar character would constitute a most weighty internal evidence of its Divine inspiration. Moses Stuart says of it : " All the heathen moralists and proverbialists joined together cannot furnish us with one such book as that of the Proverbs." And Wordsworth remarks : " The Proverbs of Solomon come from above, and they also look upward. They teach that all true wisdom is the gift of God, and is grounded on the fear of the Lord. They dwell with the strongest emphasis on the necessity of careful vigilance over the heart, which is manifest only to God, and on the duty of acting, in all the daily business and social intercourse of life, with habitual reference to the only unerring standard of human practice. His will and Word. In this respect the Book of Proverbs prepared the way for the preaching of the Gospel, and we recognise in it an anticipation of the apostolic precept : ' Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as unto the Lord.' " Dr. Guthrie considered that " the high character which Scotsmen earned in by-gone years was mainly due to their early acquaintance with the Book of Proverbs." {Sunday Magazine, Oct., 1868, p. 15.) Although the greater part of the book was doubtless compiled by Solomon during his life, chapters xxv. — xxix. were not copied out until the days of Hezekiah, and the last two chapters are assigned in the book itself to other authors, of whom we know nothing. It seems startling at first sight that a man whose character we know from other parts of Holy Scripture to have been marred by so many serious defects, should be the author of an inspired book, but Dr. Arnot remarks on this point that "practical lessons on some subjects come better B 1 EOMILETia COMMENTARY: PROVERBS. chap.i. tlirougli the heart of the weary, repentant king than through a man who had tasted fewer pleasures, and led a more even life Not a line of Solomon's writings tends to palliate Solomon's sins The glaring imperfections of the man's life have been nsed as a dark ground to set off the lustre of that pure righteousness which the Spirit has spoken by his lips." It is evident from the most cursory study of its contents that this book is rather ethical than doctrinal. The following Commentary has for its main object the setting forth the great moral lessons contained in it in a homiletic form. It does not" pretend to be a critical Commentary, altliough the latest and best criticisms have been quoted wliere they seemed to throw any new light upon the text. But the book of Proverbs is not easy to treat hoiniletically. Prof. Lockler, the author of the expositions on the works of Solomon in Dr. Lange's Commentary, says, — " A theological and homiletical exposition of the book of Proverbs has diffi- culties to contend with which exist in an equal degree in but few books of the Old Testament, and in none in quite the same form To treat the book homiletically and practically, in so far as regards only brief passages, is rendered more difficult by the obscurity of many single sentences ; and in so far as it attempts to embrace large sections, by the unquestionable lack of fixed order and methodical structure." The main DIVISIONS of the Book of Proverbs are : — I. A series of discourses on the excellency and advantages of wisdom, and the destructive character of sin (ch. i. — ix.) II. A collection of unconnected maxims on various subjects (ch. X. — xxii. 16). III. Short discourses on a variety of subjects (ch. xxii. 17 ; xxiv. 22), with a brief appendix of maxims (ch. xxiv. 23, 24). IV. The collec- tion of Solomon's proverbs made in the time of Hezekiah (ch. xxv. — xxix.). V. A supplement containing the words of Agair (ch. xxx.) and of King Lemuel (ch. xxxi.). \_Annotated Faragra2)h Bible. ^ CHAPTER I. Critical Notes. — 1. Proverbs. See Introduction. 2, Instruction, properly " chastisement," signifying moral training, admonition, then good habits, the practical side of wisdom. 3. Wisdom. A different word from that in ver. 2. It means " pi-udence." Justice relates to a man's attitude in relation to God, and would be better ti-anslated " righteouness." Judgment includes our duties to our fellow-men and should be rendered " justice." Equity is " uprightness," " sincerity of purpose." 4. Subtlety, " prudence." Simple, literally " the open," those easily persuaded. 5. Wise counsels, or "capability to guide," literally "hchnsmansldp." 7. Fools, derived from a word meaning to be gross and dull of understanding. -Gesenius understands it to signify " one who tui-ns away," the "perverse." 10. Entice thee, "lay thee ojien." Miller here reads "if sinners would make a door of thy simplicity, afford thou no entrance." 17. Some interpret this verse as referring to the godly who escape the snares laid for them, others to the wicked, who, not so wise as the bird, plunge themselves into ruin by plotting against the good. Then the hlood and lives of ver. 18 refer to the blood and life of the sinner. 20. The word wisdom is in the plural form in the Hebrew. 27- Desolation, or "tempest." 28. To seek early denotes " earnestly." See ch. viii. 17, Hos. v. 15. The person now changes from the second to the third, " as though wisdom were increasing alienated " (Miller). 32. The turning away of the simple, i.e., then- rejection of wisdom. Prosperity, " Security," " idle, easy rest." MAIN no MI LET I CS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Vases 1—4. The Author, his Method, ai^d his Object. I. Four things connected with Solomon would tend to commend his proverbs to the Hebrew nation. 1. His remarkable antecedents. The influence of any man in this world depends very much upon his antecedents. If the)'' happen to be such as are held in esteem by society, they form at once letters of commen- dation for him, and often prove stepping-stones to great positions. The question, *' Whence art thou? " is more often asked than " What art thou ? " Perhaps 2 IIOMILETIC COMMENTARY : mO VERBS. this was even more true of Hebrew society than it is of English. Solomon was the son of a king. Tlie king whom he claimed as his fathei^was the man whom God had honoured more than any other since the days of Moses. He was not only a king, but a prophet and a ])oet, who had no equal in the day in which he lived. He was inore than this. His reputation as a warrior, more than anythin;'- else, endeared him to a people who looked upon him in this light as tlie bes't representative of their nation. The fact that Solomon was the " son of David," would ensure him the ear of the Jewish people throughout all their generations. 2. His personal 2Josition. He was not only the son of a king but a king himself — a king who had attained the highest pinnacle of royal greatness.'' 3. His fractical wisdom. The instance of this narrated in 1 Kings iii. 16-28, proved to Israel that "the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment." Who so fit to utter proverbs concerning human life as a man who could thus so skilfully bring to light the hidden counsels of the heart ? The Son of God Himself speaks of Solomon as _ a wise man (Matt. xii. 42). 4. The variety of his experience. Experience is al\va3^s a good reason why men should speak their tlioughts. Those are most fitted to counsel others who have travelled by the same path before them. Solomon's experience had been great and varied. He knew the real value of all that is held in estimation by men. See Eccles., chapters i. and ii. These considerations gave weight to his words in the day in which he lived and among his own people, and have done so in every succeeding age and in every nation in which his proverbs have been made known. II. The form in which Solomon communicates his thoughts. A proverb i.s a large amount of wisdom wrapped up in the fewest possible words. It is like a corn-seed which, though a tiny thing in itself, encloses that which may expand and increase until it furnishes food for millions. Even a child may carry a large sum of money when it is in the form of golden coin, although his strength would be quite unequal to the task if the same amount were in baser metal. One diamond may constitute a small fortune, and may be easily carried and concealed upon the person, but its value in iron could only be "lifted by tlie united strength of many. The proverb stands in the same relation to mental and moral wisdom as gold and diamonds do to copper or iron. It is so portable that it can be carried and retained by the weakest memory. III. The main object of the utterer of these proverbs. " To give subtilty to the simple." The man who has to travel a dangerous path may be ignorant of the way to arrive at his destination in safety. His simplicity arises from his ignorance. Anyone who has gone the same way before, and has thus experi- mentally gained the knowledge which he lacks, can make him wise upon this subject. Solomon had trodden the greater part of the path of human life, those who had not done so were the simple, or ignorant, to whom he here desires to impart the knowledge which might save them from moral ruin. There were those in the days of Solomon, as there are now, who would take advantage of simplicity to destroy character. Solomon desires to preserve and strengthen character by showing how to avoid and resist sin. OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS. Verse 1. The Bible is not given to departments of science, we have in teach us philosophy, but religion : not preservation none whatever of his dis- to show us the way to science, but the coveries or his speculations on such way to holiness and heaven. Not- subjects. — Wardlaw. withstanding, therefore, the extent The Queen of Sheba came from the and variety of Solomon's knowledge in uttermost parts of the earth to hear botany, in natural history, and other Solomon's wisdom. Did she come so 3 nOMILETIO COMMENTARY: PROVERBS. far upon uncertain reports, and shall not we receive with gladness his in- structions, since he is come to us to be our teacher? — Laicson. Verse 2. The general idea of wisdom is, that it consists in the choice of the best ends, and of the best means for their attainment. This definition ad- mits of application both in a lower and higher department. In the first place it may be applied to the whole conduct of human life, — in all its daily inter- course and ordinary transactions, and amidst all its varying circumstances. .... To accommodate our conduct to these variations — to suit to all of them the application of the great general principles and precepts of the divine law, and " to guide our affairs with discretion" in them all, requires "wisdom." And for enabling us to act our part rightly, creditably, and usefully, from day to day, there is in this book an immense fund of admir- able counsel and salutary direction. And then, secondly, the knowledge of wisdom may be taken in its higher application — to interests of a superior order, to spiritual duties, to the well- being of the better part, to all that regards true religion and the salvation of the soul. Wisdom, in this book, is generally understood in this its highest application, as might indeed be expected in a book of instructions from God. How important soever may be the successful and prudential regu- lation of our temporal affairs, yet in a divine communication to man, as an immortal creature, we cannot conceive it to be the only, or the principal subject. — Wardlaw. Verse 3. " To perceive the words of understanding" is a phrase which may be interpreted as meaning the power of justly distinguishing between good and evil counsel — between that which is right in its principle and salutary in its operations, and that which is unsound and pernicious. — Wardlaw. All through Ecclesiastes and through- out the present book, the more mental aspects of sin are always made promi- nent— piety is called wisdom. The saints are the wise. The impenitent man is a fool. Nothing could be more natural than that just here there should be the broad assertion that knowledge is piety. Nothing could be more seminal. A new heart comes from a new light. If a man sees, he believes, he loves, he hopes, he serves, he re- pents, he rejoices ; and this as but new forms of the one blessed illumi- nation. — Miller. Verse 4. There are none that need to be politicians more than they that desire to serve God because they have to deal with most politic enemies , . . No gift is worse taken, though never so well bestowed, than this is, where there is no feeling of the want of it. The simple seeth not his defects, tlie young man thinketh that he seeth great abundance of ability in himself. — Jermin. The teacher offers to save the young and inexperienced from the slower and more painful process of learning by experience. — Plumptre. Over the gates of Plato's school it was written : " Let no one who is not a geometrician enter." But very dif- ferent is the inscription over these doors of Solomon : " Let the ignorant, simple, foolish, young, enter." — Cart- wright. MAIN HOMILETICS OF TEE PARAGRAPH.— Verses 5, 6. The Characteristics of a Wise Man. I. He will hear. He shows that he values what he has already attained by giving heed to those who are able to add to his knowledge. Those who know the most are the most open to receive fresh knowledge. II. The necessary HO MILE TIC COMMENT AR Y : PR 0 VERBS. consequence of this willingness to hear is a growth in knowledge. The wise mail " will increase learning." There is an absolute promise in connection with spiritual wisdom. " Whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and whosoever liath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seeineth to have " (Luke viii. 18). He who has wisdom to give heed shall have his wisdom increased by giving heed. To those who are willing to hear, that which was once dark and difficult becomes clear and plain. They " understand a proverb and the inter- pretation ; the words of the wise and their dark sayings." This hearing implies more than a mere I'eception of sound. It includes a desire to translate precepts into deeds. Many who can understand the grammatical construction and literal meaning of the Divine oracles cannot api)rehend their spiritual signification because they do not desire to submit to their guidance. This was the condition of many of the Scribes and Pharisees in the days of our Lord. They saw and yet were blind (Matt. xiii. 13 ; John ix. 39). " If any man will do liis will, he shall know of the doctrine," etc. (John vii. 17). III. This growth in knowledge gives a man a guide for his own life and enables Mm to guide others. (For " wise counsels," see Critical Notes). Such a man will not sound all the mysteries of life or of God, but enough will be made plain to give him a compass by which to steer ; and he will be able to lead others. A diligent pupil will by-and-by be tit for a teacher. How fully was the truth of these verses exemplified in the history of the Apostles. What dull pupils they were at first, and even until after their ^Master's resurrection. (Luke xxiv. 25.) But their willingness to be disciples — learners — fitted them at length to " go and teach all nations." (Matt, xxviii. 19.) Continuing in Christ's W^ord, they came to " know the truth," according to His promise. (John viii. 31.) OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS. Verse 5. True wisdom is never Verse 6. If the law be dark to any, stationary, but always progressive ; the fault is not in the lawgiver, but in because it secures the ground behind those that should better understand it. it as a basis for further advances. "He — Ti-a])]?. who is not adding is wasting ; he who The sayings of the wise are but is not increasing knowledge is losing uvrds (two or three words), and it is from it," says Rabbi Hillel. — Faiisset. their shortness that maketh them to As long ago as the time of Melanc- be dark. _ Now, David says : " I will thon it was recognised as a significant incline mine ear unto a parable " — fact that wisdom claims as her hearers there is his study to understand ; " I and pupils, not only the simple, the will open my dark saying upon the young, and the untaught, but those harp" — there is the interpretation. It who are already advanced in the know- is not David, but He who came from ledge of the truth, the wise and expe- David, that there is spoken of, and rienced. It is indeed Divine wisdom who, despising inanimate instruments, in regard to which these assertions are having made this world and the little made, and it is precisely as it is within world man, and by_ His Holy Spirit the department of the New Testament having compacted his soul and body, with the' duty of faith, and of growth doth praise the Lord by an instru- in believing knowledge, which duty in ment of many voices, and to this in- no stage of the Christian life in this strument man doth sing the knowledge world ever loses its validity and its of His truth. Wherefore to under- binding power. Compare Luke xvii. 5 ; stand the words of His wise prophets Eph. iv. 15, 16; Col. i. 11 ; ii. 19; and penmen, we must go to Him.— 2 Thess. i. 3 ; 2 Pet. iii. 18. — Lange's Jermin. Commentary. nOMILETIQ COMMENTARY: PROVERBS. MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Verses 1—^. The Root of True Knowledge and the Means of its Attainment. When the husbandman comes to examine a fruit-tree, he disregards everA'thing in the way of leaf and branch ; if he does not also find evidence of fruit in the appointed season, he considers that the end of planting is not attained. God, the great Husbandman, here declares that all human wisdom and intelligence avail nothing unless they have for their basis that fear of Him which enables a man to attain the end for which he was created. I. The fear of the Lord springs {I) from a practical recognition of His existence. God, to the vast majority of mankind, is but a name ; they no more recognise the personality and moral character of the Divine Father than they recognise a personality and moral attributes in the wind or the sunlight. He has no influence upon their hearts ; to them, practically, there is no God. There is no fear of God before their eyes, because there is no God. 2. From an e.rperimeiital knoiiiedge of His kindness. The mightiest being cannot be reverenced for his power ; that may produce the "fear which hath torment," but not the "reverence and godly fear" which leads to willing obedience. When a king's character is such that his subjects taste of his kindness and feed upon his bounty, it begets a reverence which makes them fear to break his law. The " fear of the Lord " is synonymous with heart-religion, and must be born of a personal experience of Divine mercy. This fear says, " 0 taste and see that the Lord is good : blessed is the man that trusteth in Him " (?sa. xxxiv. 8). H The means by which this beginning of knowledge ought to be attained. The rule in creatures below man is, that they instruct their offspring as soon as they are capable of instruction. The eagle teaches her young to fly : she " stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings." (Dent. xxxii. 11.) And this is what God expects every parent to do in a moral sense. A child ought to get his first ideas of God from his parent, and his father's and mother's love ought to be the stepping-stones by which he rises to ap]^rehend the love of his Father in heaven. This exhortation takes for granted that the parents will be possessors of this true knowledge, and will impart it to their children. III. The reason given to the young for receiving and retaining parental instruction. The coronet on the brow of the noble proclaims his place in society — sets forth his high position. The necklace of pearls on the young and beautiful maiden proclaims the wealth of the wearer, and adds to her attrac- tiveness. So the obedience of a good son to a true father proclaims him to belong to the noble in spirit — sets a crown upon his ( haracter. And a daughter's reverential love to a good mother is a true indication of moral wealth. That mother's words, treasured in the memory and translated into life, are so many precious pearls of soul-adornment, and are in the sight of God of great price. OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS. Verse 7. This, " the fear of the wisdom. What the precept " Know Lord," comes as the motto of the thyself " was to the sage of Greece, book. The beginning of wisdom is that this law was for him. In the found in the temper of reverence and book of Job (xxviii. 28) it appears as awe. The fear of the finite in the an oracle accompanied by the noblest presence of the Infinite — of the sinful poetry. In Psa. cxi. 10, it comes as in the presence of the Holy ; self- the choral close of a temple hymn, abhorring, adoring, as in Job's con- Here it is the watch-word of a true tession (xliii, 5, 6), this for the Israelite ethical education. This, and not was tiie starting point of all true love, is the beginning of "wisdom." G EOMILETW COMMENTARY: PROVERBS. Through successive stages, and by the discipline of life, love blends with it and makes it perfect. — Plumptre. Why is this the only way that God hath pointed out for the attaining to wisdom? 1. One reason may be the falseness of man's spirit. The heart is deceitful above all things, and so God will not entrust it with such estimable treasures of durable wisdom before a trial hath been upon it. "To him will I look, even to him that is of a pure and contrite spirit, and tremhleth at my words." 2. Here is another argument, viz., impossihUity . " Tiie natural man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of God," &c. " The eye sees not the sun, unle.ss it bear the image of the sun in it ;" nor could it receive that impression if it were covered with dirt and filth. So the necessary foundation of true wisdom is unfeigned righteousness and pure- ness. The purging of a man's soul takes away the main impediments to true knowledge, — such as self-admi- ration, anger, envy, impatience, desire of victory rather than of truth, blindness proceeding out of a love of riches and honour, the smothering the active spark of reason by luxury and intem- perance, &c. — Henry Moore. Where God is, there is the fear of God ; and where the fear of God is, there are all tilings which God re- quireth. — Jermin. The fear of the Lord consists, once for all, in a complete devotion to God, — an unconditional subjection of one's own individuality to the beneficent will of God as revealed in the law (Deut. vi. 13 ; X. 20 ; xiii. 4 ; Psa. cxix. 63, &c.) How, then, could they be regarded as fearing God, who should keep only a part of the Divine commands, or who should undertake to fulfil them only according to their moral prin- ciples, and did not seek also to make the embodying letter of their formal requirements the standard of life. — Langes Commentary. Verse 8. The relation of the teacher to the taught is essentially fatherly. — Plumptre. In Scripture and that oriental speech framed to be its vehicle, narrow ex- amples stand often for a universal class. " Honour thy father and mother, " means — obey all superiors. " Thou shalt not steal," mean.s — keep clear of every fraud. In those patriarchial countries, obedience to a father was the finest model of subordination .... Let the child take the first and obvious meaning ; let the man look deeper. The earlier principles having been settled, the Proverbs have begun with a grand practical direction — tliat we are to listen to our teachers ; that we are to begin at our firesides, and obey all the way up to God. — Miller. Verse 9. The instruction and dis- cipline of wisdom do at first seem difficult and hard, and are like fetters of iron restraining the corruption and rebellion of nature ; but at length they are like chains of gold, worn like ornaments and no burden at all. — Jermin. Nothing so beautifies as grace doth. Moses and Joseph were " fair to God," (Acts vii. 20) and favoured of all men. Trapp. As Christ praj's, " Hallowed be thy name," as his first petition, so Solomon puts first in his promises mere beauty, the mere prize of being right. The best thing in being pious is the mere comeliness of piety. — Miller. MAIN EOMILETICS OF TIIE PARAGRAPH.— Verses 10—19. Enticement to Sin and Exhortation against yielding to it. I. Youth will certainly be tempted. 1. Because he is in an evil ivorld. In this world everything that possesses life is in danger of losing it. The tree is liable to have its root eaten by the worm, the smaller creatures in the animal world are beset w^ith danger from those above them in size and strength, the 7 EOMILETIC COMMENTARY: PROVERBS. fisli in the sea is ever in danger of the hook or the net, the bird of the fowler's snare, the forest king of the hunter's gun. Man, in respect to his mere bodily- existence, is surrounded by influences antagonistic to the preservation of his animal life. And this danger often pi-esents itself in the form of enticement. The crumbs lure the bird into the trap, the bait tempts the fish to bite the hook. A smooth sea and bright sunshine in the morning tempts the fisherman to the voyage upon the treacherous deep, which becomes his grave in the evening. Moral life is not excepted from this rule. Wherever the youth finds himself in the world he will be tempted, because he is everywhere surrounded by influences which war against his soul life. 2. Because it is an oi'dination of God. The Divine Ruler has ordained that men shall suffer temptation. There are things in this world which are the common lot of all men, from the highest to the lowest. Disease and death come alike to the proudest monarch and his meanest subject, to the man of highest intellect and to the most unlettered savage. And temptation is also an ordained heritage of man. Not even the " second Adam, the Lord from heaven," was exempted from this rule. 3. Because it is necessary for the formation of moral character. The seaman needs to come into conflict with the stormy winds and the rough waves of the ocean if he is to become a skilful mariner. The very effort which he puts forth to overcome them makes him more fit for his calling. So men must have temptation in order to test their powers of resistance ; the struggle against sin, if successful, strengthens the moral character. II. The elements which form the strength of the temptation. 1 . 77^^? secresy promised by the tempter. " Let us lay wait for blood," let us lurk privily for the innocent, etc. No one commits a crime against his fellow man, without an underlying hope that he will not be found out ; he even persuades himself that it is hidden from God. " They say, how doth God know, and is there knowledge in tlie Most High ? " (Ps. Ixxiii. 11). 2. 77ie hop>e of gain. Advantage of some kind is supposed to be the fruit of every sin. That which the tempter uses here is an increase of wealth. " We shall find all precious substance," etc. This temptation is most common. A man is persuaded that by a very slight risk he can make a large fortune, that the deed will never come to light, and these two persuasions have been the ruin of hundreds. 3. The number of the tempters. Here several are represented as tempting one. " Come with us." Numbers alwaj's influence us even when no persuasion is used. Men are naturally inclined to do what the many do, to go with the multitude. There is an undefined feeling that safety is with the majority, or, at least, that the being involved with many others lessens personal responsibility. This element of temptation is very powerful in a world where " the many " go in at the gate which leadeth to destruction, and " few " walk in the way which leadeth unto life (Matt. vii. 13, 14). III. The way of escape from the tempter. 1. Calling to mind his filial relation. " My son." It is a great help to a youth who is in danger of being drawn away from his steadfastness in the path of virtue to call his parents to mind. His father's instructions and example, his mother's love and prayers, the grief that his fall would bring iipon them will, if reflected on, be a means of escape from the tempter's snare. The thought that he is a son ought to be suflicient to keep him from straying. 2. A consideration of the certain end of sinners. Those who promise themselves and others secresy shall be taken openly. Tlie bird will not be decoyed into the net if he sees it spread, the trap must be laid in secret if it is to be successful. But sinners go on in sin although they are forewarned by God, by their own consciences, by the law of human society, and by the experience of others what the end will be. " Be sure your sin will find you out," is written, not only in the book of God, but within us and around us. IIOMILETIC COMMENTARY: PROVERBS. The young man is to bear in mind that they t\xe fools who tell him there is gain to be had by sin. Those who seek to take life iii order to enjoy the property of others, or in any way to wrong their fellows for their own fancied gain, shall themselves, like Haman, be hanged upon the gallows which they have made. Let the youth reflect up the sad histories of those who now fill our convict- prisons, and he will feel that it is indeed true that evil-doers " lay wait for their own blood." OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS. Verse 10. L A supposition implied, that sinners will entice. Sin is of so virulent and malignant a nature, that it tainteth the whole air about it and filleth it with infection, and there is no safety to be found within its neigh- bourhood without the blessed antidotes of piety and carefulness. And the sinner will take as much pains to per- vert his companions, as the Jews did to make proselytes, and with the same fatal design and consequence, viz., to make them twofold more the chil- dren of hell than themselves. For since the good have all other advan- tages, and vastly outweigh them in intrinsic worth, they will endeavour to come as near a level as they can by making up in number what they want in value. Besides, it silences in some measure the loud alarms of their own consciences, when many join with them in their vicious performances, and the approbation of others, by complying with their practices, lulleth them to sleep in a dull security. IL A caution, subjoined, " Consent thou not." To which end — 1. Consider the baseness and danger of consenting. We must sacrifice our reputation, render our- selves unfit for the company of men of worth, and exchange the glorious liberty of the children of God for that of vassals of iniquity. We must call in question the existence of God, and expose ourselves to that avenging hand which will lie heavy upon sinners to all eternity. 2. Take some plain and short directions to secure yourself against their enticements. Repel the first attempts upon your character. When that wdiicli is wrong is spoken or acted in your presence, do not suffer yourself to give it inward approbation. Withdraw from such society as soon as possible. Seek God's assistance. — • Nicolas Brady, D.D. This verse, in brief compass and transparent terms, reveals the foe and the fight. With a kindness and wis- dom altogether paternal, it warns the youth of the danger that assails him, and suggests the method of defence. — Arnot. Carry a severe rebuke in tliy coun- tenance, as God doth (Psa. Ixxx. 16). To rebuke them is the ready way to be rid of them. — Trapp. Verses 11 — 13. Two unreasonable and insatiable lusts they propose to gratify. 1. Their cruelty. They thirst for blood, and hate those that are in- nocent, and never gave them any pro- vocation. Who could imagine that human nature should degenerate so far that it should ever be a pleasure to one man to destroy another ? 2. Their covetousness. What, though we ven- ture our necks, we shall fill our houses with spoil. See here (1) the idea they have of worldly wealth. They call that precious substance which is neither substance nor precious ; it is a shadow and vanity, especially that which is gotten by robbery. It is the ruin of thousands, that they overvalue the wealth of this world. 2. The abun- dance which they promise themselves. Those who trade with sin promise themselves mighty bargains. But they only dream that they eat, the housefuls dwindle into scarcely a hand- ful.— Henry. Verse 11. The warning, as such, is true for all times and countries, but has here a special application. The temptation against which the teacher seeks to guard his disciple is that of 9 nOMILETIC COMMENTARY: PROVERBS. joining a band of highway robbers. At no period in its history has Palestine ever risen to the security of a well- ordered police system, and the wild licence of the marauder's life attracted, we may well believe, many who were brought up in towns (Judges xi. 3 ; 1 Sam. xxii. 2), and the bands of rob- bers who infested every part of the country in* the period of the New Testament, and against whom every Koman governor had to w^age incessant Avar, show how deeply rooted the evil - was there. The history of many coun- tries (our own, e.g., in the popular Traditions of liobin Hood and Henry V.) px'esents like phenomena. The robber-life has attractions for the open-hearted and adventurous. No generation, perhaps no class, can afford to despise the warning against it Without cause may mean in vain, and receive its interpretation from the mocking question of the tempter : " Doth .Job serve God for nought ? " The evil-doers deride their victims as being righteous gratis, or in vain. — Plumptre. If sinners have their " come," should not saints much more? Should we not incite, entice, whet, and provoke one another, rouse and stir up each other, to love and good works? (2 Pet. i. 13 ; Heb. x. 24 ; Isa. ii. 3 ; Zech. viii. 21.) — Trai:>p. Verse 12. The force of the verse noteth the allurement of wickedness from the cleanly despatch of it, so that nothing appeareth of the doing of it. — Jermhi. We will be as Sheol, as Hades, as the great underworld of the dead, all- devouring, merciless. The destruction of those we attack shall be as sudden as tliat of those who go down quickly into Sheol. (Numb. xvi. 30, 2>2,.)-Plumptre. Verse 13. Wickedness has always been a very bragging boaster. These sinners make a brag like that which the devil made to Christ: "All these things will I give thee." Covetousness is a strong chain to draw men on to wickedness. — Jerniin. 10 Verse 14. The first form of tempta- tion is addressed to the simple lust of greed. The second, with more subtle skill, appeals to something in itself nobler, however easily perverted. The main attraction of the robber-life is its wild communism, the sense of equal hazards and equal hopes. To have " one purse," setting laws of property at nought among themselves, seems almost a set-off against their attacks on the property of others. — Plumptre. Verse 15. "God will not take the wicked by the hand." (Job viii. 20.) Why, then, should we? — Trapp. The affairs of tliis life are the high- ways of the King of Heaven ; thou may est walk in the w^ays of them, but not with the wicked. It is an argu- ment of a wicked man but to company with the wicked. We judge evil ac- company ings to be next to evil deeds. — Jermin. Verse 16. They may talk of walk- ing, of walking in pleasures and de- lights, to get thee to walk with them. But, though, from what thou findest at first, thou little thinkest what will be the end, yet let me tell thee that it is to evil the journey tendeth; to that it will quickly come, for their feet run unto it. What shame is it that evil should be so pursued after ! — Jerniin. Verse 17. These men are plotting with their eyes wide open. The verse teaches the great doctrine of deliberate- ness to ruin. Men go to hell when they expect it ; at least, they go when it is a trap to them, of which they laiow the setting. They go open-eyed on into the gin. — Miller. The great net of God's judgments is spread out, open to the eyes of all, and yet evil-doers, wilfully blind, still rush into it. — Plumptre. Verse 18. These couriers of hell, who carry the despatches of the devil, cannot run faster to the hurt of others than they do to their own mischief; they cannot make more haste to shed the blood of others than they do to shed their own blood. — Jermin. CHAP. r. nOMILETIC COMMENTARY : PROVERBS. Verse 19. These "ways" are cer- tainly some of the worst. The persons described are of the baser sort ; the crimes enumerated are gross and rank. Yet when tliese apples of Sodom are traced to their sustaining root, it turns out to be greed of gain. The love of money can bear all these. When this greed is generated, like a thirst in the soul, it imperiously demands satisfac- tion wherever it can most readily be found. In some countries of the world it still retains the old-fashioned iniquity which Solomon has described. In our country, though the same passion domineer in a man's heart, it will not adopt the same method, because it has cunning enough to know that it will not succeed. Dishonesty is diluted, and coloured, and moulded, to suit the taste of the times. But the ancient and modern evil-doers are reckoned brethren in iniquity, despite the difference in the costume of their crimes .... This greed, when full- grown, is coarse and cruel. It has no bowels. It marches right to its mark, treading on everything that lies in the way. If necessary " it taketh away the life of the owners thereof." Covet- uusness is idolatry. The idol delights in blood. He demands and gets a hecatomb of human sacrifices. — Arnot. Midas, the Phiygian king, asked a favour of the gods, and they agreed to grant him whatever he should desire. The monarch, overjoyed, resolved to make the favour inexhaustible. He prayed that whatever he touched might be turned to gold. The prayer was granted, and bitter were tlie conse- quences. What the king touched did turn to gold. He laid his hand upon the rock and it became a huge mass of priceless value ; he clutched his oaken staff, and it became in his hand a bar of virgin gold. At first the monarch's joy was unbounded, and he returned to his palace the most favoured of mortals. Alas for the shortsightedness of man ! He sat at table, and all he touched turned to gold — pure solid gold. The conviction rushed upon him that he must perish from his grasping wish — die in the midst of plenty ; and remembering the ominous saying he had heard, " The gods them- selves cannot take back their gifts," he howled to the sternly smiling Dionysius to restore him to the coarsest, vilest food, and deliver him from the curse of gold. — Biblical Treasiinj. MAIN nOMlLETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH— Vtnes 20—23. The Cry of Wisdom. I. The wisdom of God is the voice of God. 1. The tvisdom of God in nature, in the heavens which declare Bis glory and in the firmament which sheiceth His handiivork" is Divine speech ivhich speaks loudly of eternal power and Godhead. 2. There is a voice of ivisdom in the laics and economy of the old dispensation, although that voice gave sometimes but an indistinct sound concerning Divine mercy and judgment. 3. The tvisdom of God as displayed in the plan of salvation by Christ is the loudest, the most persuasive and unmistakable voice of God. II. God's voice of Wisdom is an earnest voice- Wisdom crieth. The voice of the mother who thinks that her children are in danger rings upon the ear with no uncertain, theatrical sound. When the voice of Paul rang through the Fhilippian prison and fell upon the man who was about to destroy himself, it was a loud voice, because he was in earnest. God has to deal with his human children who are in danger, and therefore He speaks with earnestness when He says, " Do thyself no harm." The voice of God in the human conscience sometimes speaks as loudly as the trump of Sinai. He said by His prophets in the days of old, " Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die, 0 house of Israel?" (Ezek. xxxiii. 11). The voice of Christ was an earnest voice. His death enforced the earnestness of the appeals which He uttered in His life. It proved tlie reahty of His own and His Father's desire that "all should come to repentance." The voice of the Gospel ministry is an earnest 11 nOMILETIC COMMENTARY: PROVERBS. voice. Those wlio have been baptised by tlie Spirit of God, beseech men to be reconciled to God (2 Cor. v. 20). III. God's voice of wisdom has been uttered where men could hear it. Wisdom uttereth her voice " in the streets," " in the chief places of concourse," " in the gates." The merchant brings his silks and diamonds to the crowded cities, because in them he is most likely to find purchasers. The vendors of goods seek the broad thoroughfares, because there they find streams of human beings to whom they offer their wares. God has observed this method in offering His Divine wisdom to the sons of men. The highest wisdom of God — the Gospel ^was first proclaimed in the city of Jerusalem, at a time when there were gathered there men " out of every nation under heaven " (Acts ii. 5). The apostles of Christ preached in the chief cities of the civilised world, in Corinth, Athens, Antioch, Ephesus, and Rome. And now the voice of wisdom cries in the principal centres of the population of the world. The fishermen spread their nets where most fish congregate, and the fishers of men are attracted to the places where most human souls are gathered. IV. God's voice of wisdom addresses all classes of sinners. 1. The simjjle ones. The unwary and those easily misled. Some men sin through ignorance or through the influence of others. As the unwalled garden is open to the foot of every dog that passes by, so the man who has no principle of his own to defend him is liable to have his soul entered and taken possession of by the first tempter who passes by. 2. The scorner. He is a sinner of a deeper dye. The child who is indifferent to his good father's love and the attractions of his happy home is a sinner, but the son who mocks his parents and holds up their words to ridicule is certainly a greater sinner. The simple man denotes a sinner who is passive in the hands of evil, but the scorner is active against good. He is placed before us in Holy Scripture as one who has reached the climax of human iniquity (Psa. i. 1). 3. Fools are addressed. The man who would rather use means to increase his disease than seek to cure it, may very properly be called a fool. The blind man who chooses to remain blind when he might be healed is certainly a fool. And certainly this is an appropriate name for those who love moral darkness rather than light. He who hates the know- ledge which won Id save him and prefers death to life is the most unwise man u]ion the face of God's earth. V- Although sinners may differ in degree, the same reproof and invitation are addressed to all. A rich man may be able to satisfy the wants of a hungry multitude, although all may not be equal!}' hungry. If a physician possesses remedies which can heal men whose disease is deeply rooted, he will be able to cure those upon whom it has as yet a lighter hold. The voice of God to men offers but one way of satisfaction and soul-healing, viz., repentance. " Turn ye at my reproof." And the gift of his spirit which accompanies repentance (Acts ii. 38) is powerful to change the greatest sinner into a saint. VI- The rejection of Wisdom's voice of invitation changes it to one of threatening. The refusal of the invitation to the Gospel feast shut out to retribution those who rejected it (Luke xiv. 16). The space given for repentance Avill not last for ever. A time is here foretold when God will not hear them who have refused to hear him. Their cry for help will be treated as they once treated the earnest cry of wisdom. " I will mock when your fear cometh." VII. The blessed condition of those who accept Wisdom's invitation. The promises given under the Old Testament dispensation referred in a large degree to the present life. Dwelling safely here doubtless has its immediate reference to a home in Canaan, as in Isaiah i. 19. " If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land." Yet the underlying principle is that God will take charge of the real interests of those who yield themselves to Him — who full in with His plans for their real eternal good. 12 cHAr. r. HOMILETIC COMMENTARY: PROVERBS. OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS. Verse 20. What was in the views of godly men, in Solomon's days, an abstraction, became concrete when Christ was manifested on earth. The manifold character of this Divine wisdom (Isa. xi. 2, 3), and the multi- plicity of the messengers of this wisdom of God in all ages of the Church accord with the plural form. (See " Critical Notes.") — Fausset. The orientals used the plural form to denote the highest excellence. But wisdoms may be plural to denote wis- dom in all forms, or all "wisdoms" in one ; specially two forms of wisdom — wisdom in a worldly sense, and wis- dom in the spiritual sense which the natural man does not discern. Wisdom in both these senses unites in piety. The pious man has spiritual wisdom of which the sinner knows nothing ; and fleshly or natural wisdom to avoid hell and to secure heaven, to provide for death and get ready for an eternal world, to a degree altogether superior to a fleshly nature. — Miller. After that Solomon hath brought in a godly father warning and instruct- ing his sons, now he raiseth up, as it were, a matron or queen-mother pro- voking her children unto virtue. — Miiffet. The words of men may be wise ; but when God speaks. Wisdom itself ad- dresses us. — Laivson. Perhaps some wide law of association connecting the purity and serenity of wisdom with the idea of womanhood, determines the character of the per- sonification. Not in solitude, but in the haunts of men, through sages, lawgivers, and teachers, and yet more through life and its experiences, she preaches to mankind. Something of the same kind was present, we may believe, to Socrates when he said that the fields and the trees taught him nothing, but that he found the wisdom he was seeking in his converse with the men whom he met as he walked in the streets and agora of Athens. (Plato, "Phffidrus,"p. 230.yPlumpfre. " In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, "Come unto me and drink." (John vii. 37.) — Trapp. In the Scri))tures, Wisdom cried unto men. " They testify of me," said Jesus. The prophets all spake of His coming. The sacrifice off"ered year by year, continually procLaimed aloud to each generation the guilt of men, and the way of mercy. The history of Israel, all the days of old, was itself Wisdom's perennial articulate cry of warning to the rebellious. The plains of Egypt and the lied Sea, Sinai and the Jordan, each had a voice, and all proclaimed in concert the righteous- ness and mercy that kissed each other in the counsels of God. And the things were not done in a corner. . . . But the wisdom of God is a manifold wisdom. While it centres bodily in Christ, it is reflected and re-echoed from every object and every event. There is a challenge in the prophets, " Oh earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord ! " The receptive earth has taken in that word, and obediently repeats it from age to age He hath made all things for tlimself. He serves Himself of criminals and their crimes. From many a ruined fortune, Wisdom cries, " Remember the Sab- bath-day, to keep it holy." From many an outcast in his agonies, as when the eagles of the valley are picking out his eyes. Wisdom cries, " Honour thy father and mother, that thy days may be long." From many a gloomy scaffold Wisdom cries, " Thou shalt not kill." — Arnot. Verse 21. Wisdom's walk through the streets. The Lord and His Spirit follow us everywhere with monition and reminder. — Langes Commentary. In verse 10 sin was-^presented as trying to get in. Here wisdom is re- presented as trying to reach out. Sin is harmless unless it can get into the conscience. Wisdom is utterly help- less unless it begins with the flesh. One strives to get in, the others yearns 13 HOMJL ETIO COMMENT A R Y : PRO VERBS. to reach out. " The natural man dis- cerneth not the things of the spirit." Slie must begin, therefore, without. The impenitent can only hear natural reasons. " The law is a schoolmaster." The terrors of death are applied by the Almighty to draw us nearer, within, and finally into the region that is spiritual. It is " out of doors," there- fore, that Wisdom must lift up her voice. — Miller. The voice of wisdom is heard every- where. It sounds from the pulpit. From every creature it is heard (Job xii. 7, 8). The word is in our very liearts, and conscience echoes the voice in our souls. Let us go where we will we must hear it, unless we wilfully shut our ears. — Lawson. In the Temple she crieth for holi- ness and reverence, in the gates slie crieth for justice and equity, in the city she crieth for honesty and cliarity. Or else by accommodation we may thus take the words, the head is the chief place of concourse in man, where all the faculties do'meet and all affairs are handled : the openings of the gate are the outward fences, the city is the heart, to all which wisdom strongly applieth her instructions. In the head she crieth for a right understanding, in the outward fences for watchful- ness, in the heart for upright sincerity. - — Jermin. Verse 22. Men ai-e always going to be wise, and, therefore. Wisdom plunges upon this very difficulty. You are going to repent ; but when ? And, as a still more imperative question, " How long first ? You are, perhaps, a grey old man, and your resolutions have been for fifty years. — Miller. Lovers of simplicity and haters of knowledge are joined together ; fin- where there is a love of simplicity, there is a hatred of knowledge, where there is a love of vice there is a hatred of virtue. — Jermin. Scorners love scorning. The habit grows by indulgence. It becomes a second nature. — Arnot. These simplicians are much better than scorners, and far beyond those 14 fools that hate knowledge. All sins are not alike sinful, and wicked men grow worse and worse. — Trapp, Verse 2,3. The two things mentioned here are to be taken in connection with, each other. The latter is the result of the former — the former in order to the latter. There can be no plea, there- fore, for continued ignorance. The Word of God is in possession, and the Spirit of God is in promise. — Wardlaw. When it is said: " Turn," &c., could any essay to turn be without some in- fluence of the Spirit ? But that, com- plied with, tends to pouring fortli a copious effusion not to be withstood. — J. Howe. When we turn at His reproof, He will pour out His Spirit ; when He pours out His Spirit, we will turn at His reproof: blessed circle for the saints to reason in. — Arnot. Little as we might have expected it, the teaching of the Book of Proverbs anticipates the prophecy of Joel (ii. 28) and the promise of our Lord (John xiv. 26 _; XV. 26.) Not the Sinrit alone, with no articulate expression of truths received and felt : nor tvords nlone, spoken or written, without the Spirit to give them life. — Plumptre. He that reproves and then directs not how to do better, is he that snuffs a lamp, but pours not in oil to main- tain it. — Tra'pp. 'I'here are no words that can make known Wisdom's words but her own, and there is no one that can make known Wisdom's words but herself She can, and here she saith : '' I ivill." And it is as she will, not as she can, and yet freely and fully too, whereof she saith: "I W\\\ jwiir out." — Jermin. I. The reproof God administers. God reproves (1) by the Scripitures ; (2) hy ministers ; (3) by conscience ; (4) by Providence. II. The submission He requires. Turn (1) icith penitent hearts ; (2) with believing minds ; (3) with jyrompt obedience. III. The encouragements He imparts. The Spirit is (1) convincing ; (2) quicken- ing; (3) comforting; (4) sanctifying. — Sketches of Sermons. no M I LET I C COMMENTARY: PROVERBS. Verse 24. It is