Proverbs 4

Proverbs 4:1-13

When the things of God are to be taught, precept must be upon precept, and line upon line. Here is, 1. An earnest whoreline to the study of wisdom, that is, of true religion and godliness, bereaved from the good instructions which his father gave him, and enforced with many unfeasible arguments, vers. 1—13. 2. A necessary caution against bad company, and all fellowship with the unfruitful work of darkness, vers. 14—19. 3. Particular directions for the attaining and preserving of wisdom, and bringing forth the fruits of it, vers. 20—27. So plainly, je presingle, is the safe said before us, that we shall be for ever inexcusable, if we perish in our folly.

a Chap. I. 2. 1. HEAR, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. 2. For I give you good doctrine, forsake you not my law. 3. For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the fight of my mother. 4. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. 5. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not, neither decline from the words of my mouth. 6. Forsake her not, and the shall preserve thee: love her, and the shall keep thee. 7. Wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. 8. Exalt her, and the shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou doft embrace her. 9. She shall give to thine head: an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. 10. Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings: and the years of thy life shall be many. 11. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom: I have led thee in right paths. 12. When thou goest, thy steps shall not be strained, and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. 13. Take fast hold of instruction, let her not go; keep her, for she is thy life.

Nothing too great can be said in the commendation of divine wisdom.

1. Solomon earnestly exhorts his children, and all like them of a teachable spirit, to attend the lessons of instruction he was about to deliver. Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding; fathers are bound to use every method to inculcate on their children the knowledge of divine things, and they are in duty bound to pay all deterrents and attention to their advice; but whether they hear, or forbear, it will be a parent’s comfort to have done his best: for I give you good doctrine, which, if received, will make you both wise and holy; forsake you not my law.

2. He communicated to them what he had received from his father, and by experience had proved to be excellent. For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the fight of my mother, the darling son, Jeremiah, beloved of the Lord, and therefore beloved of them; for in this case, parental partiality may be admitted without a crime. He taught me also; though a king, not too great to be a teacher, and the impression of his instructions, we find, was deep and abiding: and said unto me, let thine heart retain my words, treasure them up in thy memory, as the most invaluable riches; keep my commandments, and live, his obedience to them would, according to the promise, prolong his days on earth, or his fidelity to the inspired instructions of his father, would lead him to life eternal. For his psalms were full of Christ, whom to know is everlasting life. Get wisdom, Christ the sum and substance of it, and the knowledge of his grace, revealed in the word of truth: get understanding, in the diligent use of all instituted means; for though it is the gift of God, that doth not make our diligence the less needful, but rather engages us to exert it, in confidence of success from God: forget it not, whatever measure is attained, neither decline from the words of my mouth, for when once we deviate but a step from the paths of righteousness, we know not where we shall stop. Principals abide, restrain the first wandering, is the grand maxim and only security. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee from the soares and temptations that surround us; love her, as the most desirable object, and she shall keep thee from sin, from sorrow, from every evil way. Wisdom is the principal thing; either Christ, who is the head of all principalities and power,

and the prince of the kings of the earth; or his word, the knowledge of which is the highest wisdom; and with all thy getting, get understanding; for this, of all gain, will most amply recompense our toils. An interest in Christ, and acquaintance with his truth, are the grand acquisitions. Enalt her, ascribe to Jesus the honour due unto his excellent name, and highly value and esteem the glorious truths of God, and she shall promote thee, she shall bring thee to honour, when thou doft embrace her, the highest honour and promotion, even that of being sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty, to which all, who by faith apprehend Christ, shall be advanced. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace, a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee; not like earth’s fasting ornament, orcorruptible crowns, but ornaments that age will never tarnish, and crowns of glory incorruptible, eternal in the heaven.

3. Solomon himself seconds the instructions his father had given him with his own. Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of thy life shall be many, when here, as itself hereafter life eternal will be the reward. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom, I have led thee in right paths, and therefore if he turned aside from them, he must be inexcusable: soa against light and conscience, are doubly sinful. When thou goest, thy steps shall not be strained, but in the glorious liberty of the sons of God, thine heart shall be enlarged with love, and every obstruction removed; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble, so as to fall or perish, through any soares laid by the enemy of souls. Take fast hold of instruction, let her not go, hang upon her as thy guide and support, and let nothing separate them from Christ and his ways; keep her, by faith maintain a sure interest in him, for she is thy life, the author of the life of grace now, and the bestowers of the eternal life of glory, which all who are faithful to him will shortly enjoy with him.

4. ¶ Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. 15. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. 16. For they sleep not except they have done mischief: and their sleep is taken away useless they cause some to fall. 17. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. 18. But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 19. The way of the wicked is as darkness: They know not at what they stumble.

Proverbs 4:10-22

1. My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee: 2. So that thou incline thine our unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding: 3. Yea, if thou cried after knowledge, and lifeth up thy voice for understanding: 4. If thou seekest her as silver, and searched for her as for hid treasures: 5. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. 6. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 7. He layeth up found wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. 8. He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. 9. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity: yea, every good path.

Vol. I.

v. 1—q. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore by all means to be fought after.

1. The way prescribed is threefold: (1.) Serious attention to, and meditation upon the word of God. (2.) Fervent and importunate prayer, the best guide to the knowledge of the careless of God. (3.) The diligent use of every appointed means, being as eager in the search, as those whose hearts are set upon riches, are in discovering the golden mines, and transcribing the precious ore, v. 1—q.

2. Success will crown these labours, when persevered in. Then shalt thou understand that capital point, the fear of the Lord, wherein it consists, and how it is to be evidenced in the conversation: and find the knowledge of God, of his grace and glory, particularly as manifested in the face of Jesus Christ, whom to know is everlasting life: and this is the gift of God, v. 6. not acquired by the exercise of our rational faculties, but communicated by the Spirit of truth, out of whose mouth cometh knowledge and understanding; in the scriptures, which he hath caused to be written for our learning, in which are hold all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge: not the shew of it, but the reality, found wisdom; and laid up there for the righteous, those who by the imputation of the righteousness of Christ are so accounted of God, and whose hearts and ways are by the Spirit renewed in righteousness and true holiness. He is a leader to them that walk uprightly, who make God’s word their rule, and being under the divine protection, the shield of almighty land is stretched over them, that sin, Satan, and the world may not come near to hurt them. He keepeth the path of judgment; doeth what is right himself in the dispensations of his providence and grace; and preserveth the way of his saints, that they may never perish, but with perseverance continue in the path of everlasting glory. Then shalt thou understand righteousness and judgment; distinguish truth from error; know how to act with justice in all thy dealings, and what is the duty of every Nation and relation; and equity: yea, every good path, whether respecting God or man: and thus the man of God shall be perfect, thoroughly furnished for every good work.

3. ¶ When wisdom entreth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; 11. Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: 12. To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh forward things. 13. Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness: 14. Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked. 15. Whois ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths. 16. To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words: 17. Which forskeeth the guide of her youth, and forgeteth the covenant of her God. 18. For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead. 19. Now: that go unto her, return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life. 20. That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21. For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it. 22. But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.

The unbearable advantages of wisdom are here enlarged upon. It is the great preservative from sin, the guide into the way of righteousness, and life or death eternal hang upon our choice or neglect of it.

1. Wisdom will be a preservative from the ways and miseries of sin. When wisdom entreth into thine heart, when Christ takes possession of the heart by his grace, and his gospel effectually influences the conscience; and knowledge is plagued to thy soul; the knowledge of God reconciled in Christ, and of the great and precious promises of the word, sweeter than honey and the honey-comb; descretion shall preserve thee, and understanding shall keep thee; watchful against the Snares laid for our souls, and careful to avoid the temptation and the tempters, whether wicked men, or abandoned women, both of which are here mentioned. To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, whose principles are as corrupt, as his practice is abominable; and the character of such is strongly marked, that we may take knowledge of them, and shun them. They bind forward things, ridiculing whatever is caused; pointing their wit against the glorious truths of God; forking with impious blasphemy to bring religion and its precepts into contempt; and dressing up vice in harmlessness and innocence. They leave the paths of uprightness; apostates from the truths they once professed, and these ever gave the most abandoned; to walk in the ways of darkness; wilfully blind, hating the light, and being from it, and hurrying downward into the regions of eternal darkness. Who rejoice to do evil, finding without remorse, and glorying in their shame; and delight in the frowardness of the wicked; they not only love sin themselves, but

8 X have

have pleasure in those who commit it; hear their profanates with satisfaction, and laugh at mischief, especially pleased when those who made profusion of religion are drawn into iniquity. Who’s ways are crushed, and they forward in the path; ever turning from the first path of truth, obstinately determined in impenitence, and displeased and impatent under every rebuke or warning they may meet. From such men and such ways good Lord deliver us! Yet greater shares remain; shares, from which nothing but this divine wisdom can preserve the soul to deliver thee from the strange woman, the adulteress, who flattereth with her words, enticing with lift blandishments, and pretending warm affection, when meaning nothing but the lute gratification of lawless lust. Which forbeareth the guide of her youth, treacherously leaving the husband the abode, and sacrificing every sacred tie of duty, honour, and conscience, to be full gratification: and forgeteth the covenant of her God, her plighted vows, which this all-Seeing and all-righteous God was called to witness, and with perjured guilt rafting into another’s arms. Weak youth, beware! Believe not her hypocritical smiles, nor hope to find sweetness in these stolen waters; there is poison in the cup, dash it to the ground. For he body inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead, or rephaine, the giants of the old world, who perished in the flood: for by these vile affections and indulgences the soul is mortally wounded, the body often diseased, and hailened hereby to the grave, and both body and soul in the high road to eternal predation, where, for a momentary pleasure, everlasting pain must be the punishment of the damned sinner. None that go unto her, return again; at least few, very few, recover from this scare; the confidence grows callous, the soul is enslaved, and recovery (if not impossible) yet most improbable: neither take they hold of the parts of life, returning with shame and remorse to Jesus Christ, who could yet have to the uttermost; but they continue hardened in sin, and disulfing perish in their impenitence. Super interpreters have applied this to the great whore, the mystical Babylon, against whole idolatries and adulteries, we have so many warnings in the book of Revelations.

2. Weldom will teach us not only to eschew the evil, but to chuse the good. That thou mayst walk in the way of good men, such as the saints of God have trodden of old, and proved by blessed experience to be ways of pleasantries; and hop the paths of the righteous, steadily persevering therein, which will bring a man peace at the left.

3. The blessedness of the good ways of our God will be great. For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it; the faithful and sincere shall not be cut off as the sinner, by an untimely death, but have a comfortable and peaceable abode here on earth; or rather shall have his eternal rest in the better land of the heavenly Canaan, and dwell therein for ever.

4. Ruin will overtake the wicked. They shall be cut off from the earth, by death, or the sword of civil justice, and the transgressors shall be rested out of it; neither branch nor root of them shall remain in that new earth, where dwelleth rightensheets, but they shall be destroyed with an everlasting destruction, and cast as tares into the fire that never shall be quenched.

Proverbs 4:14-19

The way to keep from evil, is to shun temptation.

1. The caution here given is weighty, and strongly urged. Enter not into the path of the wicked, the least familiarity or compliance with them is dangerous; when we take one wrong step, we know not where to stop: and go not in the path of evil men; if for a moment thou hast yielded to their solicitations, hasten to retire from the deadly way. Avoid it, as you would the plague, pass not by it, as you would shun an infected house, turn from it, and pass away, keep at the greatest possible distance: we can never be too far from sin.

2. He enforces the warning, by pointing out,

(1.) The sin and danger of the way of the wicked. For they sleep not, unless they have done mischief; it is their business, their delight, to lead others into sin or suffering, and are uneasy and restless, if their malicious designs are frustrated: and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall unto their soares, for they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence, the spoils of fraud or oppression, on which they regale themselves, rejoicing in the fruits of their iniquities. Such as these how carefully should we shun? for their end will be according to their works. The way of the wicked is as darkness; they walk in darkness, in ignorance, in error, in unbelief, and the issue of it will be outer darkness, where there is weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. They know not at what they stumble, they are ignorant of their wretched state, and when stumbling into the dreadful pit of rum, see not their danger, till too late in torments they lift up their eyes.

2. The comfort and blessedness of the way of righteousness, as much as the one is miserable and to be avoided, the other is desirable, and to be sought. But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day; their character is the just, or justified, who, by faith in Christ Jesus, are righteous before God. Their path is Christ himself, they walk in him, supported by his grace, and led by his word and spirit, their shining light; and as the beams of day first break through the darkness, then in the horizon deep the rising sun appears, till at the last, attending to his menelian heights, his brightest glories are displayed, so increasing with the increase of God, the awakened soul grows more and more enlightened with divine truth, enlivened with divine warmth, till perfected in holiness, the full blaze of glory comes, and in eternity, without a cloud, we shall enjoy the transforming and beautiful vision of our God. Blessed therefore, and happy are they, who walk in this way.

3. ¶ My Before God soon. a. Mat. v. 1st. Phil. 2. 1st. a. Sam. 1st. 4. a. Ex. 1st. p. Jer. 2nd. 11. John Chill 1. Chap. ii. 2. Chap. iii. 3. Chap. iv. 4. Chap. v. 5. Chap. vi. 6. Chap. vii. Or all thy were thrift moved aright. Don. v. Is. & revil. 1. Jud. 2.

4. ¶ My son, attend to my words, incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21. Let them not depart from thine eyes: keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. 23. ¶ Keep thy heart? with all diligence: for out of it are the issues of life. 24. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. 25. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eye-lids look straight before thee. 26. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. 27. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

Proverbs 4:20-27

The way of the just being so excellent, we are here exhorted and directed to walk in it.

1. He exhorts us to diligent attention, v. 20. for unless we are heartily engaged, we shall never make any considerable proficiency in whatever we take in hand. We must keep the path of duty ever in our eye, and the love of wisdom warm upon our hearts, v. 21.

2. He gives a weighty reason to second his advice. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh; they are the means of spiritual life, the way to eternal life; by them the corrupt affections of our souls are mortified, and the deep diseases of our fallen nature cured.

3. He gives full directions for our conduct, and begins.

(1.) With the heart, the fountain head, from whence good or evil flows. Keep thy heart with all diligence, deceitful it is above all things, and by nature desperately wicked, and all our watchfulness and care will be little enough; yea, infufficient, unless we are looking up to God for greater strength than our own, to preserve our understanding from error, our affections from concupiscence, our confidence from guilt: or, keep their heart above all keeping, whatever care other things deserve, this is the one thing needful, and demands the chief solicitude; for as that is kept or neglected, all goes well or ill; for and if it are the issues of life, it is the seat of spiritual life, from thence all our actions spring, as dreams from the fountain; and if the heart be kept in the love of God, then it will be a well of living waters, springing up into everlasting life. Lord, do thou keep it for me, and then it shall be well kept!

(2.) Our lips must be under restraint. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee, let no profane, passionate, proud, false, rash, corrupt communication proceed from them, but take heed to every sentence that drops, knowing that there is not so much as an idle word, but we must give an account for it in the day of judgment.

(3.) Our eyes must be kept from wandering; fixed on the one object Christ and glory; on the strait path of truth, never to be diverted from it, though this world’s vanities, the pomp, the pleasures, the glittering toys and visionary beauties around follicle to our attention. The eye is the nearest inlet to the heart; they who would preserve the castle from the enemy, must bar the gate against intruders.

(4.) We must ponder the path of our feet, weigh it in the balances of the sanctuary; consider the path, examine the present path of duty; and proving all things, hold fast that which is good, determining stately, and putting it steadily: let all thy ways be established in one uniform tenor of fidelity, according to the pattern of the divine word. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left, to formality or profaneness, to superstition or infidelity: remove thy feet from evil, from the evil of sin, which leads to the evil of suffering; yea, abtrain from all appearances to evil, the farther removed from it, the safer: our care here can never be excessive.