Proverbs 5

and so thou shaltbc constant to thyself, and confirmed in a steadfast course of well-doing. There being nothing to which youth is so prone, as to give up themselves to satisfy their fleshly desires, and nothing proving so pernicious to them, if they do it with harlots; the wise man gives a new caution against those impure lusts^ which he had taken notice of before, (chap. ii. 1G, 17, &c.) as great obstructions to wisdom: and with repeated entreaties begs attention to so weighty an argument, which here he prosecutes more largely, and presses, not only with singular elegance, but with powerful reasons. Which, in the heat of youth, men arc not forward to consider; but if they would be so sober, Solomon hath said enough to deter them from whoredom. “Whose miserable effects he describes by several apt resemblances, (ver. 4, 5.) which shew how, by this vice,’ men lose their honour, their time, their health, and estates; and at last (as he shews afterward) lie down in sorrow, and end their days in an unprofitable repentance. And therefore, for the prevention of this, he commends the use of marriage, and a passionate love for a man’s own wife; which he describes allegorically: first [a], under the comparison of a domestic fountain; where a man may quench his natural thirst, and from whence streams (f. e. children) may be derived abroad to serve the public good, &c. and, secondly, under the comparison of a young hind and a young wild goat: which are taken notice of by authors that write of animals (particularly Oppiunus) to be loving creatures; and which in ancient times were playfellows (as one may call them) for the greatest persons, who kept them in their palaces, and diverted themselves with them, as a lovely sort of creature, whom they delighted to adorn with chains, and garlands, and such-like things. About which Bochartus among others may be consulted: who hath demonstrated that the jaalah (which we translate a roe) is a creature that lived in mountainous places, and could climb up the steepest rocks. Unto which, as well as to a young hind, Solomon compares a good wife, because of the simplicity, softness, and good-nature of this kind of creature; and other qualities mentioned by ancient authors: who abundantly satisfy us, what reason the wise man had to make choice of these comparisons, to represent the pleasure of ardent love between man and wife, when it is natural without constraint; sincere, simple, gentle, without moroscness, suspicions, or pride: which good qualities are not to be found in harlots, but may be met withal in a wife. From whence he shews the unreasonableness, nay, unaccountable lolly, of preferring. fornication and vagrant lusts, before the innocent joys of a married life, (ver. 20.) to which a man, who considers his own good, would choose to be -tied, that he may avoid the inconveniences, or rather miseries, to which the lusts of uncleanness reduce him: but especially the heavy judgment of God; who, having ordained marriage for the comfort of mankind, and the preserving society, (ver. 21, &c.) will not therefore let the contempt of it go unpunished. The principal things to be learnt in* this chapter arc, not to believe every thing to be good for us that pleases the flesh for the present, (ver. 3, &c.) but in the beginning of any pleasure, to look to tho’end of it; to avoid the company of harlots; to use due care in the choice of a wife; to love her too much, rather than too little; to restrain ourselves from inordinate affection, by the consideration of God’s omnipresence, &c. The proverbial sayings are obvious enough in ver. 3, 4. 15. I shall only give an account of my translating my ver. 14. [b] the assembly of judges: for in many other places, besides those quoted there in the Paraphrase, it signifies the seventy elders or senators who judged the people: as in Josh. xx. C. and Numb, xxvii. 21. where R. Solomon thus expounds myn fel <M the congregation. And so truly it seems plainly to be used Numb. xv. 24, &c. where the sacrifice is different from that prescribed in Lev. iv. 13, &c. and therefore the sin was different, and the congregation for whom this was offered, were the representatives of the whole congregation; or, as they now speak, the great Sanhedrin. pain, by impairing men’s health, strength, estates, and credit; which they cannot reflect upon without trouble and vexation, and (if she do not quite destroy their reason) be filled with remorse of conscience, and anguish of spirit: for, like a sword that cuts on both sides, she wounds: both soul and body. ■- *[CHAP. VJ. vile harlot (to whom thou oughtcst to be as great a stranger, as to her religion), which thou mayestmorc fully, more pleasantly, securely, and constantly, as well as more innocently, enjoy in a pious wife of thine own nation:

Proverbs 5:1

lfJLY son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my tmderstanding. I cannot too often awaken thine attention, (whoever thou art that puttest thyself under my instruction; see chap. ii. 1. iii. I. 21, &c.) especially in things of such moment as I am going to treat of: and therefore again I beseech thee, both to mind diligently, and to consider what I take to be true wisdom, and more than ordinary pnidcnce.

Proverbs 5:2

That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge. Which, if thou observest, it will make thee so skilful and discreetly cautious, that thou shalt not only be able to preserve thyself from the most subtlo and dangerous deceits; but, upon occasion, to advise others, and keep them from being cheated.

Proverbs 5:3

For the lips of a strange woman drop as a honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil. As too many arc by the arts of a harlot, from whom thou oughlcst to estrange thyself as much as if she were not of tho commonwealth of Israel; for she pretending the greatest love, allures inexperienced youth by her flattering speeches, and sweet voice, perhaps, and songs, wherewith she enchants them; and making them believe they shall taste nothing but the most delicious pleasures, her soft and smooth enticements slip down glibly into their unwary hearts, which are taken with her.

Proverbs 5:4

But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged siuord,. But the beginning of this love is not so sweet, as the conclusion is bitter; and therefore think of both together, and believe what I now tell thee, without making a trial; that after a short pleasure follows long

Proverbs 5:5

Her feet go doivn to death; her steps take hold on hell. In short, leads those that follow her to an untimely, shameful, and miserable end: to have never so little to do with her, is to approach to certain and inevitable destruction; not only here/ but in another world. Ver. G. Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of llfe y her ways arc moveable, that thou canst not know therh.] For though thou mayest think to make a retreat in time, thou wilt be deceived: she having more ways than thou canst ever know (winding and turning herself into a thousand shapes), to keep thee from so much as deliberating about thy return to a virtuous course of life.

Proverbs 5:7

Hear me now therefore^ O ye children, and depart not from the tuords of my mouth. All which considered, should incline those that read these things to be obedient to me: who do not desire to restrain them from any thing that will make them happy; but in tender affection advise them, not to be enticed by her flatteries to depart from those fatherly counsels, which, out of mero kind* ness, I give unto them.

Proverbs 5:8

Remove thy way far from her, and ceme not nigh the door of her house. If all will not be governed by them, yet do thou, whose mind is awakened to attend unto me, wholly shun all familiarity with her; nay, so much as the least aspect towards her: avoid her as thou wouldest the plague; and be so far from going into her chamber, as not to come near the door of her house.

Proverbs 5:9

Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel. Lest thou forfeit all the reputation, which perhaps thou hast got by worthy actions, and grow contemptible among thy friends and acquaintance; who see thee prefer the company of harlots, and their base attendants, before that of the most virtuous persons: and thereby thou lose, not only thy fame, but sacrifice the flower of thine age, and thy precious time, to one that doth not love thee a jot; but could see thee perish without any pity..

Proverbs 5:10

Lest strangers befdled with thy wealth, and thy labours be in the house of a stranger. And that will be the issue of thy impurity; which wastes first the strength and vigour of thy body, and then thy money and estate, upon a strange family, perhaps of another country: whose filthy lusts are satiated at the expense of thy spirits; and whose house and table are furnished with tha fruit of thy care and labours. Ver.LL And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed.’] And when things are come to this pass, that thy credit, thy friends, thy precious time, thy health,, thy estate, and thy pleasure too arc all gone, and nothing left but a heavy heart, and skin and bone; then’ thou begin unprofitably to groan and lament;’ nay, perhaps to roar out thy grief in a most deplorable manner.

Proverbs 5:12

And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof. Saying, How stupidly foolish have I been, in not considering all this sooner; how senselessly bent upon my own ruin^ I am amazed to think how I hated the cautions that were given inc. to avoid her company; and inwardly despised (how civilly however in outward show I received them) the just reproofs I had afterward for going to her.

Proverbs 5:13

And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me/. I wanted no good instructions of my parents,’ tutors, friends, and God’s ministers; who informed me of the danger, and taught me how to escape it: but, alas! I was so sottish as not to obey them; so contumacious, that’I did not so much as consider what they said unto me.

Proverbs 5:14

I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly. But gave up myself to follow my lusts, which in a short time engaged me in almost all kind of wickedness; from which the reverence of no persons could restrain me: but openly, in the face of the most public and solemn assemblies of God’s people, even before the magistrates and judges, (Numb. xxv. 7. xxxv.12.)’ I boldly committed them. See Arg. [6]

Proverbs 5:15

Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well. Such are the fruitless moans of a man that hath quite exhausted himself in those’ lewd courses; which shew how much better it is to follow the advice which I now give thee: marry, and in a wife of thine own enjoy the pleasures thou desirest, and be content with them alone; innocent, chaste, and pure pleasures; as much different from the other as the clear waters of a wholesome fountain are from those of a dirty lake or puddle.

Proverbs 5:16

Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers qf waters in the streets. Of whom thou mayest have a lawful issue, which thou necdest not be ashamed to own; but openly produce and send them abroad, like streams from a spring, to serve the public good; nay, a numerous progeny may be derived from your happy society, and match into divers other honest families.

Proverbs 5:17

Let them be only thine own, and not strangers with thee. Children that acknowledge no other father, because they spring from one whom thou enjoyest (ljkc a fountain in thy own ground) to thyself alone: being taught by thy confining thyself to her, never to admit any stranger to thy bed, but to keep it solely unto thee;.

Proverbs 5:18

Let thy, fountain be blessed; and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Happy shalt thou every way be with such a wife; whom I advise thee to take in thy youth, and, avoiding those filthy cruel harlots, (ver. 9.) to solace thyself in her innocent and delightful company:’ whereby thou wilt long preserve thy youth, which they speedily deflower, (ver. 10.)

Proverbs 5:19

Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love. Love her and cherish her, with a most tender affection; and let her always se6m amiable in thy eyes: if thou wouldest recreate and disport thyself (as some are wont to do with young fawns, and other beautiful creatures of like kind), let it be with her, as the sweetest companion; in whose embraces take such satisfaction, as to forget all other, and to be excessively^transported with her as long as you live. Sec Arg. [a]

Proverbs 5:20

And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange tvoman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?. Consider, my son, (ver. 1.) what I say, and deny if thou canst, that it is an unaccountable folly to seek that in a

Proverbs 5:21

For the ways of man are before th$ eyes oftJie Lord, and he pondereth all his goings. And, which is most considerable, enjoy with the approbation and favour of the Lord: from whom no man can hide his private actions, but he plainly sees and weighs all he doth, wheresoever he be; and will exactly proportion rewards and punishments, according as he behaves himself. Vcr. 22. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.] If he be a wicked fornicator or adulterer, for instance, let him not think to escape, because he is so cunning that nobody observes him, or so powerful that none can call him to account: for his own manifold iniquities shall arrest and apprehend him; and he shall need no other chains to bind and hold him fast, to answer for them to God. Vcr. 23. He shall die without itistrnction; and in the greatness of Ms folly he shall go astray^] Whose sentence upon such a person is this, that he shall inevitably perish, (ver. 5.) because he refused to follow these instructions; and not only miss of his aim of being happy, but, like men that wander from the right way, precipitate himself into unexpected ruin, (ver. 9 — 11.) because he was such an egregious fool, as to take no warning by all that could be said to him; but still to commit innumerable sins, (ver. 13, 14.) though he was told the many inconveniences, nay mischiefs, they would bring upon him.

Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil. From which do not suffer thyself to be drawn aside, cither to superstition on the one hand, or to contempt or neglect of religion on the other: let neither love of friends, nor hatred of enemies, neither hope of pleasure and gain, nor fear of pain and damage, neither prosperous nor cross events, ever move thee to turn into either extreme from the rule of virtue: but, whatsoever inclination thou findest that’way, do not proceed to commit the least sin against God, or against thy neighbour.