Proverbs 7

Proverbs 7:1-5

On this fatal rock of youthful light, so many have made shipwreck of their seals, that repeated admonitions are most necessary. In this chapter we have, 1. A general exhortation to get our minds principled and governed by the word of God, as a favoring: accident against this sin, ver. 1—5. 2. A particular representation of the great danger which wears young men are in, of being unmighty unto this same, ver. 6—23. 3. A serious caution inferred from them in the ship, to take heed of all approaches towards this sin, ver. 24—27. We should all pray, Lord, lead us not into this temptation.

MY son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. 2. Keep my commandments, and live: and my law as the apple of thine eye. 3. Bind them upon the fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. 4. Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sifter; and call understanding thy kinfwoman. 5. That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.

The way of life is only to be found in the word of God, and therefore Solomon inculcates on his son the necessity of treasoning up God’s commandments in his heart, v. 1. tender of them, and jealous of every thing that would lead him to offend, as he guards the apple of his eye, v. 2. Bind them upon thy fingers, as a memorial ever in view; or as an ornament the most graceful: write them upon the table of thine heart, en-gravet there in characters indelible. Say unto wisdom, thou art my sifter, and call understanding thy kinfwoman, delight in it, love it, cultivate the most intimate acquaintance therewith: and this shall be the best preservative from the wiles of the adulteress, and detect the falsehood and flatteries of the harlot’s words, v. 5.

6. For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, 7. And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, 8. Puffing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, 9. In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: 10. And behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and fiddle of heart. 11. (She is loud and stubborn, and her feet abide not in her house. 12. Now is she without, now in the streets, and loth in wait at every corner) 13. So she caught him and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, 14. I have peace-offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. 15. Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. 16. I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. 17. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 18. Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning, let us folate ourselves with loves. 19. For the good man is not at home, he is gone a long journey; 20. He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed. 21. With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. 22. He goeth after her straightway as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks: 23. Till a dart strike through his liver, as a bird hafteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

Proverbs 7:6

Example often proves more prevalent and effectual, than mere precept or reasoning. To enforce, therefore, the advice he had given, he produces a striking influence of a harlot’s willet, and of an unhappy youth betrayed into the Snare. And whilst as a magistrate he sat at his window, to observe the manners of his people, and bring transgressors to shame, as a prophet he writes to set us on our guard, and to make us wise by others harms. We have,

1. The unhappy victim; a youth, whose inexperience exposed him the more easily to the Snare, void of understanding, untutored in the principles of wisdom, among the simple men, the companion of weak and silly youth like himself; puffing through

the street, idly sauntering and looking round him, or walking, as the word implies, with a toppish air, to attack notice, near her corner, where she used to take her stand to pick up her gallants; and he went the way to her house, led on by his corrupted appetite, in the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night, to prevent discovery, and when he flattered himself with the thought, that no eye forth me. Read, thoughtless youth, and he wise I shun idleness, shun temptation, shun the deeds of darkness; there is an eye forth thee brighter than the sun.

2. The wily tempter. Behold with astonishment, indignation, and abhorrence hear the tale; there met him a woman, a wise, diverted of all that brightest ornament of woman, modesty, with the attire of an harlot, haunting, lords, grudge; befpeaking in her dress the lewdness of her mind; fiddle of heart, that knew each whetelling art, or reserved, pretending corpses and modest distance (for they who are most destitute of modesty, dare not know it) yet flying only to be pursued. She is loud and stubborn; at home that voice, that to her paramour breathes now the softest accents of pretended love, is heard with thrilled note, and her turbulent, headstrong, and self-willed temper makes her house the scene of noise, strife, and dispute. Her feet abide not in her house; her home, in her eyes, is her prison; visiting, company, and an eternal round of disfigurement engage all her thoughts; for ever padding abroad, now she is without, to take the air, pay morning visits, or idle round the shops; now in the streets and public places, seeking some object to inveighs, and such in wait at every corner, to catch, with her amorous glances, the incautious weak gallant. Let every woman tremble at the distant approach to such a character.

3. The Snare spread. With barefaced lewdness, that stayed not to be wooed, she caught him in her arms, and kissed him, to inflame impure desire; and with an impudent face, as if the darkness had extinguished modesty, and that it was daylight only which made sin; she said unto him, I have peace-offerings with me, her house afforded all plenty, she wanted not hire, but his company; and having that day payed her vows, might begin another score of sins: sad commutation where the force of prayers, sacraments, and profession of glory can last aggravate the guilt and damnation of the hypocrite. Therefore I came forth to meet thee, to partake of her delicacies, her heart wholly taken up with him, and unable to refill the entertainment, if his presence graced not the table: diligently to seek thy face; to her, as she pretends, the loveliest object, and I have found thee; with a transport she speaks it, as if her life depended on it, and Providence had kindly favoured her design. Nor does she conceal her foul intentions; but with alluring invitations courts him to her bed, adorned with tapestry, nicely carved, spread with the finest linen of Egypt, perfumed with the richest spices, to gratify every sense. Came, says she, drawing him nearer to her, came, let us take our fill of love, or be insinuated with it till morning, let us folate ourselves with love; horrid abufe of that sacred name, prostituted to cover bethal appetite: miserable solace! So shone-lived the joy, so ensless the sorrow which succeeds it; and least the fear of discovery, or interruption, might beget reluctance in her gallant, she takes care to let him know that the man, (for husband she will not call him) the good man of the house is not at home, he is gone a long journey; hath taken a large sum with him to trade, or bear his reprocer, and will make a considerable stay, till the day appointed for his return, which is yet at a distance; so that they have nothing to apprehend: that he is not at home, and the fools of the people are urged to emboldden the foolish youth to sin.

4. Her wiles at last prevailed. Probably at first he startled at the crime, for conscience will remonstrate; but, vanquished by her fond and flattering tongue, with her much fair speech she caused him to yield; his corruptions filtered his convictions, and present pleasure overcame the fears of future pain; with the flattering of her lips she forced him, bound in the chains of her enticing words, and surrendering himself her slave.

5. The youth is undone. He goeth after her straightway, or suddenly, at all hazards resolved to gratify his lusts, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, senseless of his danger, when led by the butcher to the fatal ax, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks, who, in his drunken fit, is not aware of the shame or punishment: Till a dart strike through his liver, a mortal blow, aimed by the enraged husband, by the executioner of justice, or some fatal disease contracted by his sin; and the arrows of divine and eternal vengeance are ready on the string to pierce him through: as a bird hafteth to the Snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life, caught with the flattering bait, and heedless of the danger; and too late perceives the irremediable ruin, where the immortal soul is drowned in perdition and destruction. May his fearful state be our warning!

6. Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. 25. Let not shine heart decline to her ways: go not affray in her paths: 26. For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. 27. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

7. & 10. 4.

Many affeeth to be wise who scorn divine teaching, and take reason, instead of revelation, for their guide. No marvel therefore, that their inferences are fruitless, and they never come to the knowledge of the truth ; indeed he is impossible

Proverbs 7:24-27

The application of the story is here made, and we are called to hearken to the words of wisdom before it is too late, and attend to these divine admonitions, v. 24. Let me these heart decline to her ways; suppress the first wandering of courage defies, and never, but with abhorrence, think for a moment of deviating from the path of purity. Go not astray; let nothing prevail with thee to do it, for ruin is before thee. Thousands have been undone by those fatal tempters; wounded in their character with infamy, in their bodies with disease; but, above all, in their souls with guilt and honour. You, even many strong men have been slain by her; as Sampson, brought to a miserable death; and those who have been strong in grace, as David, have scarce escaped with life. Who need me then tremble for himself, when such have so loudly fallen? Her laugh is the way to hell, going down to the chamber of death. The fire of lust will kindle the fire of hell, and a short life of guilty pleasure be exchanged for an eternity of never-ending pain. Who is wise will ponder these things.