Proverbs 30

This Chapter is not Solomons. But in this are the words of Agur, some man famous in his time for wisdome; his words unto his disciples, or friends, Ithiel, and Ucal; Or, here is a Comportation and Collection of Agurs wise sayings and Sentences: though none of all their names mentioned in the first verse, are found elsewhere in Scripture.

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The words] Not of Solomon. For his words end with the former Chapter.

of Agur] Not mentioned elsewhere in Scripture. But seemes a man famous for wisdome, either in Solomons, or Hezekiah’s time.

Prophesie] Or, instruction; for so largely is the word Prophesie many times taken. Or, Collectanies; gathered out of wise Agurs sayings, and proverbial sentences, then extant, or well-known; and here added to Solomons Proverbs, as being of like argument, and consorting with them.

Ithiel, and Ucal] Some take these names for Christ, for his goodnesse, and power. But with lesse straining, they rather seeme to be the names of Agurs schollers, or friends, here instructed by him.

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more brutish] Agur begins in all humilitie, so deeply abasing and vilifying, himself; knowing his losse by his fall in Adam; 1 Cor. II. 14. Psal. VII. 3, 22. Job XXXII. 8. and chap. XI. verse 12. That flesh and blood, in natures schoole, could not reveal saving mysteries unto him.

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neither learned] Not of himself: but from God, Gal. I. 1. James I. 17.

of the holy] Holy God; and holy Angels, Dan. IV. 13. and VIII. 13. or holy and heavenly things.

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who hath ascended] The difficultie great; the impossibility evident, to humane wisdome: who can, or hath done it, but the Sonne of man, John III. 13. And the Angels Ministers to him, John I. 51. No man hath seene God at any time: the only begotten Sonne, which is in the bosome of the Father, he hath declared him, John I. 18. and declared heaven, Rom. X. 6, 7. Heavenly wisdome by man of himself is not attainable, Job XXVIII. Chapter. See Esay XL. 12.

winde] Psal. CIV. 3. and CXXXV. 7. Matth. VIII. 26, 27.

waters] Job XXXVIII. 8,—11. Psal. CIV. 3, 6,—13. Esay XL. 12.

earth] I. Job XXXVIII. 4, 5, 6. Esay XL. 12.

what is his Name] Job XI. 7, 8, 9. Judg. XIII. 17, 18. Exod. III. 13, 14, 15. Matth. XI. 27. John VI. 46. Esay LIII. 8. The Sonne is like the Father, John XIV. 7, 8, 9. Heb. I. 3.

if thou cast [ None can.

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word of God] Psal. XII. 6. and XVIII. 30. and XIX. 8. and CXIX. 140.

sheild] Gen. XV. 1. 2 Sam. XXII. 31.

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Adde thou not] Deut. IV. 2. Apoc. XXII. 18, 19. Against the blasphemous speeches of Papists concerning Scripture: And their additions to it. So adding, as it were, to Gods will, and abasing his coyne.

Proverbs 30:7

deny me not] With importunitie he reinforceth and followeth his request, so Psal. XXVII. 4. Gen. XXXII. 26. Luke XI. 8. Matth. XV. 23. She came for a cure, and a cure she would have. And God calls for, and delights in such importunities; that so he may abound in his bounteous grants unto us, John XVI. 24. He would have us smite five or six times, 2 Kings XIV. 18, 19. And he as Naaman would then force two talents upon us; grant above all we ask or think.

Proverbs 30:8

vanitie and lies] Those lying vanities of sinne: from the damning and domineering power and punishment of it; from the sting and staine, the crime and curse of it.

neither povertie, nor riches] Both are naturaly attended, encumbered, and burdened with many inconveniences. Yet sanctified both, to the childe of God. Mediocrite, a sufficiencie without superfluitie, is the estate that is most easily managed, Matth. VI. 11. 1 Tim. VI. 8.

Tuta me media vehat Vita decurrens via.

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Lest I be full] Deut. XXXII. 15. 1 Tim. VI. 17. And so, as the Moon at the ful; then, and then only, suffer they the Eclipse of grace, by the interposition of the earth: and come to say, Pharaoh-like, Who is the Lord? as if they with their Mammon were pettie-gods, of, and within themselves.

or lest I be poor] Stealth upon necessitie, is lesse then adulterie, Prov. VI. 30. Yet a sinne alwayes, Exod. XX. 15. Ephes. IV. 28.

name of my God] This he grieves at more, then his own shame, burning in the hand, whipping, hanging.

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Accuse not] Rom. XIV. 4. and II. 1. Matth. VII. 1. Eccles. VII. 21, 22. Tit. III. 1, 2, 3.

lest] The harme of the servants ill wishes fall upon thee.

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Here begin his Quaternions, of some things Moral, of some things Natural; yet intended for Moral use, which he pursueth six times over, in the rest of the Chapter.

that curseth their father] A cursed crew, a bastardly brood, verse 17. and chap. XX. 20. Levit. XX. 9. Exod. XXI. 17. Matth. XV. 4. Deut. XXI. 18,—21.

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are pure] As the Puritanes, Novatians, Donatists, Catharists of old, Matth. XIX. 20. Hos. XII. 8. Esay LXV. 5. Papists that pretend to works of Supererogation; And yet welter in wickednesse.

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O how lofty] Chap. VI. 17. and chap. XVI. 5, 18. and chap. XXI. 4. Esay II. 11, 12, 17. and V. 15. and X. 33. Job XXXIII. 17. Ps. CI. 5.

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whose teeth] Psal. LII. 4. and LVII. 4. Job XXIX. 17.

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The horseleach] Hath two forks in her tongue, whereby she first pricketh the flesh, and then sucketh the blood. Such is the covetous extortioner and oppressor of the poor.

never satisfied] No more then Pharaoh’s leane kine.

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with a maid] That yet pretends so to be: as appears in the next verse: and that with impudencie enough. Incerta sunt virginis aut corruptae indicia.

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For a servant when] Chap. XIX. 10. Asperius nihil est humili cùm surgit in altum.

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little] Deus est maximus in minimis.

exceeding wise] Job XII. 1.

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The Ants] Chap. VI. 6, 7.

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Conies] Psal. CIV. 18.

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Locusts] Joel II. 4, 5, 7, 8. Those Apoc. IX. 11. have their King Abaddon

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Comely] A comlinesse of carriage belongs to us, Phil. I. 27. So Neh. VI. 7.

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No rising up] Eccles. VIII. 2, 4.

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in lifting up thy self] Against the King, 31. Eccles. VIII. 3. and chap. X. 20. Exod. XXII. 28. Or, in any evil matter; then stop and silence thy self: as Job XL. 4, 5. and chap. XLII. 6. and chap. XXI. 5.

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so the forcing of wrath] Chap. XV. 1. Reiterated provocations extort strife. James III. 16. Patientia laesa furor fit.