Proverbs 4

Proverbs 4:1

A Father] Namely, me Solomon, who perform a fathers duty towards you.

Proverbs 4:2

My law] Because that these precepts, are not onely meere documents for to instruct you; but are also rules for your life and conversation; with a Soveraigne and divine power to command you.

Proverbs 4:3

For I was] I know what it is to instruct Children, having had such excellent education from David my father, that great Prophet, and therefore my words deserve attention and obedience Onely] Onely deare, and none but I appoynted to be King; For otherwise David had divers children by Bathsheba, 1 Chronicles 3:5. and some copies have also, onely amongst my mothers children.

Proverbs 4:4

And live] God will bestow a long and happy life upon thee, according to his promise Exodus 20:12.

Proverbs 4:7

The principall] Namely, mans greatest good consists in true heavenly wisedome With all thy getting] though thou shouldest bestow all thy meanes therein. See Matthew 13:44. The sence is, Let him preferre it before all other goods.

Proverbs 4:8

Exalt her] That is to say, honour and hold her in great esteem.

Proverbs 4:12

When thou] Following this plaine and straight way, thou wilt never meet with any let, but thou shalt overcome it.

Proverbs 4:16

To fall] Into the snares which they have set, or into secret pits, which are their secret practises and privy lurkings, as Proverbs 1:1. or into utter ruine.

Proverbs 4:17

They eate] They live upon nothing but Rpines, Deceits, and Extortions; or they onely take delight in such things, and they become their daily food.

Proverbs 4:18

The path] The just alwayes increase in the light of knowledge and faith in God, and in all good direction and blessn from him, untill they attaine to the height of eternall glory. See 2 Samuel chapter 23. verse 4. Job chapter 11. verse 17 Psalme 97. verse 11.

Proverbs 4:19

The way] The wicked live in a profound ignorance of GOD, and of his truth and will, wherefore they cannot direct their actions to any happy end: and they fall into miseries which they can neither fore-see nor avoyd: See Job chapter the fifth, verse the foureteenth, and chapter the twelfth, verse the five and twentieth.

Proverbs 4:22

That finde them] Namely to those to whom they are revealed by speciall grace Health] Or Physicke To all] Namely to their whole bodies.

Proverbs 4:23

With all diligence] The Italian Above all keeping] Or keepe thy heart from all things which it ought to be kept from Out of it] That is to say as the heart is the spring of the life of the whole body, so that if it bee wounded, death must needs follow: So from the principall and predominating part of the soule, which the Scripture calleth the heart of the soule depends the life and spirituall subsistence of all the rest, therefore it must be very safely and carefully kept.

Proverbs 4:24

Perverse lippes] Namely all fraud, lying, and dissimulation.

Proverbs 4:25

Thine eyes] A terme taken from those who alwayes looke before them as they goe; because they will goe the right way and not stumble, which every faithfull man is to imitate in his course of life.

Proverbs 4:26

Ponder] The Italian, Levell] That is to say, let all thy actions bee according to Righteousnesse and Justice, like unto a straight and plaine way.