Proverbs 9
SIBProverbs 9:1-5
And why enter the ruinous house, or covet the ensnaring entertainment of an harlot, when the infinitely wise Jesus Christ, who is made of God unto us wisdom, hath framed, for his fellowship with men, a glorious church on earth and in heaven, fully supported by divine perfections, purposes, oracles, and offices: and hath prepared his own crucified self, his word, ordinances, and eternal felicities, for the nourishment and satisfaction of sinful men; and in the gospel, by his faithful prophets, apostles, and ministers, earnestly invites and beseeches even the most weak, wicked, and besotted, sinners of mankind to come by faith, and freely partake of his nourishing, strengthening, delightful, and satisfactory, fulness and blessings?
Proverbs 9:6-12
Earnestly he admonishes you to avoid all unnecessary intimacy with wicked persons, as you regard your temporal or eternal happiness; as by it you cannot, even in attempting their reformation, justly expect to profit them, but may be sure of procuring hatred and infamy to yourselves;—and to cultivate familiarity with wise and serious persons, whom you may both profit and be profited by;—and to study true and experimental godliness, as the proper mean to render you truly happy in this world, and in that which is to come;—and solemnly warns you that you yourselves must reap the inexpressibly important fruits of your attention to, or scornful rejection of, his instructions
Proverbs 9:13-18
And remember, as before God, that nothing more effectually renders men despisers of Christ and his blessings than fellowship with light and lewd women, or false teachers; who, ignorant of every thing spiritually good, and extremely talkative, artfully and impudently seduce simple persons, who intend no such thing, to imagine that forbidden pleasures are peculiarly delightful. And alas! few of those tempted by them seriously consider that by such pleasures multitudes have already lost their lives, and are entered into the everlasting torments of hell
REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. IX.—What great things Jesus Christ has done, and still does, for our salvation! O how unwilling is he that we should perish! Gloriously formed, and well supported and established, are his covenant and church. Rich are his gospel provisions—his own flesh and blood, nay, all the fulness of God. And free and unencumbered with legal qualifications are his gospel calls. How absurd, insolent, and foolish, are the scornful refusers thereof! For certain and just is their aggravated and everlasting ruin. And it is impossible to have fellowship with Christ in grace or glory, and yet live in intimacy with wicked men. There is need of the utmost care, both in giving and taking reproofs. Fidelity in reproofs is the surest evidence of genuine friendship. None are too wise to learn, nor too good to amend. And they who rage at rebuke, prove the weakness of their own understanding, as well as their want of grace. But, alas! what manifold temptations, suited to the taste of our corrupt hearts, are presented to us by Satan and his emissaries, to keep or draw us from Jesus Christ! And too many, through ignorance of, and inattention to, the danger, comply therewith. But, however sweet the pleasures of sin be in the mouth, they are bitter in the belly; they issue an endless torment and anguish. * GENERAL CONTENTS from Chap. X. to XXX. The twenty subsequent chapters instruct us concerning (1) God’s omniscience and universal providence; chap. xv. 3, 11. xvi. 1, 4, 9, 33. xvii. 3. xix. 21. xx. 12, 24. xvi. 1, 30, 31. xix. 26. (2) Conscience, his deputy in men; xx. 27. xxvii. 19. (3) The universal corruption of human nature; xx. 9; and its effect upon men’s performance of duty; xx. 8, 9. xxi. 27. xxviii. 9. (4) The enmity of the wicked against the godly; xxix. 10, 17. xxiv. 15. (5) The world’s insufficiency, and the sufficiency of true religion to render men truly happy; x. 2, 3. xi. 4; and the preachment which ought to be given to the gains of virtue; xv. 16, 17. xvi. 8, 16. xvi. 1. xix. 1. xxviii. 6, 11. (6) The happiness of the righteous and misery of the wicked; x. 6, 9, 16, 24, 25, 27—30. xi. 3, 5—8, 18—21, 31. xii. 2, 3, 7, 13, 14, 21, 26, 28. xiii. 6, 9, 14, 15, 21, 22, 25. xiv. 11, 11, 19, 32. xv. 6, 8, 9, 24, 26, 29. xx. 7. xxi. 12, 15, 16, 18, 21. xxii. 12. xxviii. 10, 18. xxix. 6. (7) The wisdom of obedience to God’s law, and folly of disobedience; x. 8, 17. xii. 1, 15. xiii. 1, 13, 18. xv. 5, 10, 12, 31, 32. xix. 15. xxviii. 4, 7, 9. (8) Stothfulness and diligence, x. 4, 26. xii. 11, 24, 27. xiii. 4, 23. xv. 19. xvi. 26. xviii. 9. xix. 15, 24. xx. 4, 13. xxi. 5, 25, 26. xxii. 13, 29. xxiv. 30—34. xxvi. 13—16. xxvii. 18, 23—27. xxviii. 19. Particularly in neglecting opportunities; x. 5. xvii. 6. (9) Excitements to the study of true wisdom; xvi. 16. xviii. 1. xix. 8, 20. xxii. 17—21. xxiii. 15, 16, 22—25. xxiv. 13, 14. xxvii. 11. (10) Cautious against temptations to sin; xvi. 17. xix. 27. (11) The fear of God; xiv. 2, 26, 27. xv. 16, 33. xvi. 6. xix. 23. xxii. 4. xxiii. 17, 18. xxiv. 21. (12) Devotion towards God, and dependence on him; xvi. 3. xviii. 10. xxiii. 26. xxviii. 1. xxviii. 25. xxix. 25. (13) Fainting, and hope in affliction; xxiv. 10. xiii. 12. 19. (14) The benefit of God’s favour; xvi. 7. xxiii. 11. xxix. 26. (15) The benefit of repentance and holy fear; xxviii. 13, 14. (16) The necessity of the ordinances of God’s grace; xxix. 18. (17) Of causeless cursing; xxvi. 2. (18) Scorners; xiv. 6, 9. xxi. 24. xxiii. 9. xxiv. 9. (19) Folly and prudence; xiii. 16. xiv. 8, 18, 33. xv. 14, 21. xvi. 21, 24. xvii. 24. xviii. 2, 15. xxiv. 3—6, 20, 27. xxvi. 6—11, 18, 19. xxviii. 5. (20) Answering tools; xxvi. 4, 5. (21) Credulity and caution; xiv. 15, 16. xxviii. 12. (22) Mischievousness and usefulness; x. 10, 23. xi. 9—11, 23, 27. xvi. 5, 6, 12, 18, 23. xxi. 2. xiv. 23. xvi. 29, 30. xvii. 11. xxi. 10. xxix. 8. xxvi. 23, 27. (23) The praise of wise and good discourse; and the hurt and shame of an ungoverned tongue; x. 11, 13, 14, 20, 21, 31, 32. xi. 3. xiv. 3. xv. 2, 4, 7, 23, 28. xvi. 20, 23, 24. xvii. 7. xviii. 4, 7, 20, 21. xx. 15. xxi. 23. xxiii. 9. xxiv. 26. xxv. 11. (24) Pride and humility; xi. 2. xiii. 10. xv. 25, 33. xvi. 5, 18, 19. xviii. 12. xxi. 4. xxv. 7, 8. xxviii. 25. xxix. 23. (25) Men’s good opinion of themselves; xiv. 12. xvi. 2, 25. xx. 6. xxi. 2. xxvi. 12. xxviii. 26. (26) Inspiring and respecting others; xi. 12. xiv. 21. (27) Honour and dishonour; x. 7. xii. 8, 9. xviii. 3. xxvi. 1. xxvii. 2; and vain glory; xxv. 14, 27. xxvii. 2. (28) Love and hatred, peaceableness and contention; x. 12. xv. 17. xviii. 1, 9, 14, 19. xviii. 6. 17—19. xx. 3. xxv. 8. xxvi. 17, 21. xxix. 9. (29) Anger and unreleness; xii. 16. xiv. 17, 20. xv. 1, 18. xvi. 32. xvii. 12, 26. xix. 11, 19. xxiv. 24, 25. xxv. 15, 28. xxvi. 3. xxix. 22. (30) Melancholy and cheerfulness; xii. 25. xiv. 10, 13. xv. 13, 15. xvii. 22. xviii. 14. xxv. 20, 25. (31) Mercifulness and cruelty; xi. 17. xii. 10. xiv. 21. xix. 17. xxi. 13; helping the distressed; xxiv. 11, 12; forgiving enemies; xxv. 21, 22. xix. 11. (32) Of charity to the poor, and uncharitableness; xi. 24—26. xiv. 31. xvii. 5. xxv. 9, 16, 22, 23. xxviii. 27. xxix. 7. (33) Rashness and deliberation; xi. 14. xv. 22. xviii. 13. xix. 2. xx. 5, 8. xxi. 29. xxiii. 3. xxv. 8, 9. 10. (34) Frowardness and tractableness; xxii. 5. (35) Unsettledness and unsatisfiedness; xxviii. 8, 20. (36) Cowardice and courage; xxviii. 1. (37) Friendship; xvii. 17. xviii. 24. xxv. 17. xxvii. 9, 10, 14, 17; and ingratitude; xviii. 13. (38) Treschery and fidelity; xiii. 17. xxv. 13, 19. (39) Good and bad company; xiii. 20. xiv. 6. xxxviii. 7. xxix. 3. (40) Talkativeness and silence; x. 19. xi. 12. xii. 23. xiii. 3. xvii. 27, 28. xxix. 11, 20. (41) Reproofs and corrections; xvii. 10. xix. 25, 29. xx. 30, xxi. 11. xxv. 12. xxvi. 3. xxvii. 5, 6, 22. xxviii. 23. xxix. 1. (42) Old age and youth; xvi. 31. xvii. 6. xx. 20. (43) Rich and poor; x. 15, 22. xi. 28. xiii. 7, 8. xiv. 20, 24. xviii. 11, 23. xix. 1, 4, 7, 22. xxii. 2, 7. xxviii. 6, 11. xxix. 13. (44) Education of children; xiii. 24. xix. 18. xx. 11. xxii. 6. 15. xxiii. 12—14. xxix. 15, 17. (45) Undutiful children; xx. 20. xxviii. 24. (46) Comfort or grief which parents have in their children, as they turn out wise or unwise, godly or ungodly; x. 1. xv. 20. xvi. 21, 25. xix. 13, 26. xxiii. 15, 16, 24, 25. xxvii. 11. xxix. 3. (47) Women’s wives good and bad; xii. 16, 22. xii. 6. xiv. 1. xviii. 22. xix. 13, 14. xxv. 8, 19. xxv. 24. xxviii. 15, 16. (48) Servants; xvii. 2. xix. 10. xxix. 19, 21. (49) King and their subjects; xiv. 28, 34, 35. xvi. 10, 12—15. xix. 6. 12. xx. 2, 8, 26, 28. xxiii. 11. xxiv. 23—25. xxv. 2—5. xxviii. 2, 3, 15, 16. xxix. 4, 12, 14, 26. (50) Of the interest of subjects in the good or bad character of their rulers xxviii. 12, 28. xxix. 2, 16. xi. 10, 11. (51) Of loyalty to governors; xxiv. 21, 22. (52) Revenge; xx. 22, xxiv. 17, 18, 19. (53) Punishment of murder; xxviii. 17. (54) Drunkenness; xx. 1. xxiii. 20, 21, 29-35. (55) Sensual pleasure; xxi. 17. xxiii. 1-3, 6-8, 19-21, 33. (56) Uncleanness; xxii. 14. xxiii. 27, 28. (57) Hastening to be rich; xxviii. 20, 22. (58) Of prodigal wastefulness; xxi. 20. xxiii. 21. xxviii. 19. (59) Bribery; xvii. 8, 23. xviii. 10. xxiv. 23. xxviii. 21. (60) Justice and injustice; xi. 1. xiii. 11. xvi. 8, 11. xvii. 15, 26. xviii. 5. xx. 10, 23. xxii. 10, 11. xxix. 14. (61) Short enjoyment of what is ill gotten; xx. 21. xxi. 6, 7. xxii. 8. xxvii. 8, 22. (62) Suretyship; xi. 15. xvi. 18. xx. 16. xxii. 20, 27. xxvi. 13. (63) Sacrifuge; xx. 25. (64) A good and bad character; xv. 30. xxii. 1. xxv. 26. (65) Slander; x. 18. xvi. 27. xxv. 23. (66) Tale-bearing; xi. 13. xvi. 28. xviii. 8. xx. 19. xxvi. 20, 22. (67) Flattery; xx. 19. xxvi. 23, 25. xxviii. 23. xxix. 5. (68) Lying, fraud, and dissimulation, and truth and sincerity; x. 18. xii. 17, 19, 22. xiii. 5. xvii. 4. xx. 14, 17. xxi. 8. xxvi. 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, 28. (69) Bearing true and false witness; xiv. 5, 25. xix. 5, 9, 28. xxi. 28. xxiv. 28. xxv. 18. (70) Covetousness and contentment; xi. 29. xv. 16, 17, 27. xxiii. 4, 5. (71) Envy, particularly of sinners in their prosperity; xiv. 30. xxiii. 17, 18. xxiv. 1, 2, 9, 10. xxviii. 4. To compare the various texts, classed together under these different particulars, will go far to form an inspired commentary on the whole