antecedent follows sometimes in Scripture language As Psal 87.1 His foundation is in the holy mountains Whose A. v. 2. The Lords So here For their lives that is For the lives of the owners of those riches which they would take away v. 19. For the second interpretation the words are the same with v. 11. There they are cleerly spoken of the lives of others not of the robbers So v. 16. They lust to shed other mens blood not their owne And the owners v. 19. are those whose blood and life is sought v. 18. The former intimates no successe this fignifies a bad event The former to themselves this to others There being more difficulty in the former interpretation lesse in the latter let the indifferent Reader judge which is the better Vers 20. Wisdome eryeth without she uttereth her voyce in the streets Solomon like a good Physician having first shewed the danger of the disease to make willing to take physick and like a good Chirurgeon having used corrasives now gives curing medicines and lenitive plaisters Or having before given antitodes to keep men from ill courses now he gives cordials to encourage them to good Having forewarned the young man to take heed of bad company now he brings in Wisdome inviting him to her school So the Psalmist first disswades them from ungodly wayes and then invites men to delight in the Law of the Lord Psal 1.1 2. First depart from evill then do good Psal 34.14 This is the way to dwel for everâ—are Psal 37.27 He had shewed the arguments of sinners before to seduce men and answered them now that his admonition might have the more weight be by a Prosopopeia brings in Wisdome her self to the confusion of foolishnesse and ignorance soliciting him to good wayes If the young man should say that he desires nothing more then to avoyd the society of sinners and follow the dictates of wisdome but he is discouraged by the difficulty of attaining it No saith Solomon it is easie to attain it is not hidden any where nor far off to be sought after but offers it self to all rich and poor c. For the words of Wisdome note 1. A preface v. 20 21. 2. The speech it self to the end of the Chapter In the preface note 1. The beginning of Wisdomes proclamation In the fields and villages v. 20. 2. The progresse of it in more publick places as in walled Towns and Cities v. 21. For the words of this vers Wisdome Heb. Wisdomes For the word it self see on v. 2. But why Wisdomes in the plurall Some think the reason to be because it includes all true wisdome in it and all befide this holy wisdome is but folly And because it gives us divers and many documents for the good of our souls It contains many things to direct us in faith and life So seven Spirits are mentioned Rev. 1.4 to set forth the manifold graces of Gods Spirit Or it is called Wisdomes because it is the most excellent wisdome divine heavenly wisdome which teacheth us how to attain eternall life So Behemoth is put for a great beast Job 40.15 Thus this word may be used here for principall wisdome As also chap. 9.1 Wisdomes hath builded her a house And Psal 49.3 My mouth shall speak of wisdomes Some would read wisdome of wisdomes So some read for Behemoth the beast of beasts Job 40.15 And Remember to remember to keep boly the Sabbath day in the fourth Commandement And The Song of Songs Cant. 1.1 that is the best Song as appears by Gods choyce who preserved that when all the rest were lost Hereby is meant the highest wisdome called by St. James the wisdome from above Jam. 3.17 Wisdome is brought in here as some great Lady or Princesse the word is feminine calling on young men as her growing Subjects to hearken to her godly counsels And the word is plurall as God is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plurall number to set out his state and majesty to may Wisdome Others take it to be meant of Christ the eternall wisdome of God the Father And so it is commonly interpreted ch 8.1 And may be here For he did cry before he was born even in the dayes of Noah 1 Pet. 3.19 20. And he is called Wisdome here because he is the eternall wisdome of God and also to fit the title to the matter As God is called the Father of mercies in promises to comfort afflicted ones and the just God in threatnings to scare sinners and the Lord in commandements to move to obedience so here Christ may be called Wisdome to counsel simple ones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cryeth The word signifies a strong cry such an one as Souldiers use to send forth in the beginning of a battle or after a victory Thus men cry out in finging for joy or weeping for sorrow in prayer or praise in teaching or admonishing others as here She speaks not low but loud that all men may hear and to shew forth her earnestnesse It may be meant either of this proclamation of Wisdome here and in other places of Scripture left on record to be published all the world over or of Christ speaking by his Ministers in all ages and inviting men to look after saving wisdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Without Some take this to be all one with the words following to shew that Wisdome speaks and that boldly to in all places But more particularly the word signifies sometimes the streets of a City which are without in respect of the houses Jeremy must have a piece of bread out of the Bakers street Jer. 37.21 Sometimes the Countrey villages and fields which are out of the walled Townes and lie open to all comers The suburbs of the City shall reach from the wall of the City and outward a thousand cubits round about Numb 35.4 So here for all other places are mentioned after Countrey-men as well as Citizens may hear Wisdomes voyce She uttereth Heb. she giveth That is she giveth out or putteth forth her voyce The Hebrews want compounds For the word See on v. 4. Wisdome as she speaks loud that all may hear so she speaks freely plainly and distinctly that all even the meanest may understand Her voyce The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes fignifieth a voyce or sound in generall though not articulate That there be no more thunderings Heb. voyces of God Exod. 9.28 Sometimes it signifies words distinctly spoken In all that Sarah hath said unto thee hearken unto her voyce Gen. 21.12 So is it used here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the streets The Hebrew word hath its originall from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be broad as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Gr. because streets of Towns and Cities are wide for men horses and carts to passe by one another She cryes not in a corner or within dores onely or in fields or villages alone but in the streets of Towns and Cities
not give ease to them that never call on him but in trouble They cryed but there was none to save them even unto the Lord but he answered them not Psa 18.41 Though they cry in mine ears with a loud voyce yet will I not hear them Ezek. 8.18 Reason 1. Because they had no acquaintance with God before Men look after their acquaintance in time of trouble not after strangers that have no dependence on them 2. Because they look meerly after their own ease for the most part and have no love to God else they would have regarded his service in their prosperity Hos 7.14 Vse It teacheth us to get interest in God betimes even in prosperity to follow Solomon's counsell Eccl. 12.1 Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth We would be glad to have God to hear us in the troubles of old age Let us then be mindefull of him in youth 4. Doct. Affliction makes men earnest in prayer In their affliction they will seek me early Hos 5.15 When he slew them then they sought him Psal 78.34 Reason 1. Because affliction is compared to fire When thou walkest through the fire Isa 43.2 and fire will heat So doth affliction heat mens affections 2. Because they finde much need of help which in their prosperity they felt not A begger wil pray earnestly Vse It condemns our cold prayers both in fasts and other times in these sad dayes If ye will not pray earnestly now when will ye Wicked men will rise in judgement against you They pray earnestly in trouble 5. Doct. Prayer is a seeking of God Neither do they seek the Lord of hosts Isa 9.13 Seek ye the Lord Isa 55.6 Reason 1. He is as it were lost when he doth not help us God is departed from me and answereth me no more 1 Sam. 28.15 2. He may be found an helper upon intreaty Vse No marvell if many never found God They never sought him by hearty prayer in all their lives and must quite lose him at their death 6. Doct. There is a time when God will not be found of some men though they seek him earnestly Though they shall cry unto me I will not hearken unto them Jer. 11.11 When ye make many prayers I will not hear Isa 1.15 Then shall they cry unto the Lord but he will not hear Mic. 3.4 1. For the time 2. For the persons For the the time That is twofold 1. After a time of long calling on them to return yet slighted by them He that turneth away his ear from hearing the Law even his prayer shall be abominable Prov. 28.9 Yea true repentance then though it may deliver from the curse yet sometimes not from the crosse God would destroy Jerusalem for Manasses his sins though he repented and Josiah reformed 2 King 23.26 2. After this life It is too late to cry for mercy in hell Not a drop of water to be gotten Luk. 16. God hears not impenitent finners here much lesse in hell Here is time of repentance there none The dore of mercy is shut up for ever by death Mat. 25.10 When the golden time of life is gone no trading for souls health No physick after death For the persons they are 1. Impenitent sinners God heareth not sinners Joh. 9.31 Prayer and repentance must go together else no audience 2. Unbelievers The Word without faith doth no good No more doth prayer An unbeliever must not think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord Jam. 1.7 3. Hypocrites that have no religion but in shew and pray accordingly Will God hear the hypocrites cry when trouble cometh upon him Job 27.9 Sure he will not 4. Uncharitable men A father will not hear them that are cruel to his children Vse 1. It teacheth us to take heed of putting off repentance We may be in hell in a moment or God may be so offended with our peevish wayes that he will not give us true repentance nor hear us A great revenge It would vex a man that his friend would not hear him in extremity If we follow not Gods instruction in our prosperity he will not follow us with help in our misery He that meant to say Lord have mercy on me cryed out at his death Horse and man and all to the Devill Perkins government of the tongue 2. Let us hearken to God in our prosperity that he may hearken to us in our extremity else we perish eternally Quid aequius quid justius non respeximus non respicimur non audivimus non audimur Salv. What more equall what more just we regarded not we are not regarded we heard not we are not heard I speake unto thee in thy prosperity but thou saidst I will not hear this hath been thy manner from thy youth that thou obeyest not my voyce The wind shall eat up all thy pastours and thy lovers shall go into captivity surely then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickednesse Jer. 22.21 22. To conclude God will hear a penitent sinner at any time yea even at the houre of death as he did the penitent thief but he often denies true repentance to those that slight the means of grace and alwayes denies audience to those that cry not with their hearts to him when they howle on their beds for corn and wine Hos 7.14 Let not then an impenitent sinner ever presume nor a penitent despair Vers 29. For that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord. We are come to the third judgement denounced wherein Wisdome first sets downe the causes of the judgement v. 29 30. Secondly the judgement it self v. 31 32. For the first Wisdome repeats the former just causes to justifie her accusation yet with some elegant change of words and order to affect the more with the variety of them and to drive the causes of their ruine the more home to their hearts that at length they might repent and prevent it An usuall thing in humane judgements that the sentence may appear to be just The Clerk reads the causes of the condemnation and the Judge oftentimes repeats them Their plagues are fearfull therefore Wisdome would have the causes of them well known If any man should ask Why Lord art thou so inexorable and hard toward them The answer may be in the text For that they hated knowledge So the words may look backward and forward Thus he shews that they did justly perish and were justly neglected Four causes mentioned before are here repeated The two first in this vers The two lastin v. 30. The first in this vers is hating knowledge mentioned vers 22. The second in this vers also is not choosing the fear of the Lord intimated v. 7. The third in vers 30. is rejecting Wisdomes counsel mentioned v. 25. The fourth in v. 30. also is despising Wisdomes reproof mentioned likewise v. 25. And in an elegant order For 1. Knowledge is to be gotten 2. The fear of
both labour in sin Gain he looks for from it His Motto is Dulcis â—dor lucri è re qualibet Gold smels well though raked out of a dunghill He can gain by wantonnesse oppression lying flattery c. Vse Here is an help to judge of our estate Is our way a way of sin or of goodnesse We must not try our selves by one act either to cleer our selves for one good act or to condemne our selves for one bad one Our course of life must cleer or condemne us 5. Doct. Abundance of troubles shall come upon wicked men The back-slider in heart shall be filled with his owne wayes Prov. 14.14 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked Psal 32.10 Reason 1. Their fins bring on them store of spirituall evils as shame grief despair wherewith the mind is overburdened as the flomach overprest with meat and made fick of a surfet 2. Bodily evils as diseases pains c. 3. Their ill life brings an ill death violent or despairing 4. Wicked men cannot be filled with sin here but they must be filled with misery in hell A way of sin here and a way of eternal sorrow there Vse It declares to us what is the portion of sinners They take great content in sinfull wayes as if they were the onely free and happy men but their end will be misery 6. Doct. Ungodly men have many devices to undoe themselves So Achitophel and Judas were wise enough to hang themselves Reason 1. Because God overpowers them in their owne way and beats them at their owne weapons and takes them in their subtilty He countermines and voyds their mines He taketh the wise in their owne craftinesse 1 Cor. 3.19 2. Because their Wisdome is imperfect They know not how to prevent all dangers Vse See the misery of wicked men Their wittends to self-destruction Vers 32. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them Wisdome having in the former vers set out the effect to wit the destruction of ungodly men here she concludes her threatnings with another cause of it This vers gives a reason why wicked men shall be so horribly and inevitably destroyed And therein both expounds the former verse and gives answer to a secret objection It might be demanded Who are they that shall eat of the fruit of their labours The answer is in the text simple ones and fools that turn away from Wisdomes instructions It might be further demanded But how shall they eat of the fruit of their labors The answer is in the Text again They will slay them and bring them to destruction But then it may be objected Wicked men thrive most and they that slight Wisdomes counsels grow richest The answer is ready It may be so but yet it will turn to their destruction in the end as the Oxe to be slain goes in the best pastures The Sun-shine of prosperity ripens the sin of the wicked Bernard calls it Misericordiam omni indignatione crudeliorem A mercy that he had no minde to as being worse then all cruelty What good is there in having a fine Suit with the plague in it As soon may a man miscarry upon the soft sands as upon the hard rocks For the words For. It gives a reason of what was said before See on v. 9. They cannot justly complain of my severity because they themselves are the cause of their owne ruine They will not be taught how to escape it though they have not wit enough of themselves to do it Others read it But as it is translated ch 9.18 But he knoweth not that the dead are there And then they understand the former vers thus God will suffer wicked men to eat of their labours and prosper for a time but will destroy them in the end by their owne prosperity The former reading agrees best with the scope which is neer threatning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The turning away Some take it to be meant of turning away from God and goodnesse to error and wickednesse of life Others take it for their turning away from seeking after heaven to look after the world So Demas forsook Paul having loved this present world 2 Tim. 4.10 Others take it for turning away from Wisdomes counsels given before which they are charged withall v. 25.30 An unwillingnesse to be taught by Gods Ministers And that agrees well with what went before When men will not be taught by Gods Ministers destruction follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the simple See on v. 4.22 Shall slay them Shall destroy themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the prosperity The word fignifies quietnesse and abundance which useth to follow peace Of fools See on v. 22. Shall destroy them Shall lay them open to death temporal and eternall This is Scripture language In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die Gen. 2.17 Figures Turning away A Metaphor from a Traveller that misseth his way Shall slay them Shall be the cause of their death A Metaphor from an Executioner So also in Destroy them Wisdome sets down two causes of their destruction The first is an aversenesse to instruction The second is love of prosperity These two concur in most sinfull men and had before punishment answerable set down to wit Gods not hearing them and their destruction In the former note 1. The word of coherence For. 1. The act the turning away 3. The agent of the simple 4. The effect shall slay 5. The object them In the later observe 1. The cause And the prosperity of fools 2. The effect shall destroy them 1. Doct. God is content to give a reason of his judgements though he need not Here are two things to be proved 1. That God need not give a reason of his judgements 2. That God will give a reason of them neverthelesse For the first God need not give a reason of his judgements Who shall say unto him What dost thou Job 9.12 O man who art thou that replyest against God Rom. 9.20 The Potter need give no reason why one piece of clay is made a vessell of honour and another of dishonour Reason 1. Because God is of supreme authority Superiors need not give account to Inferiors of their proceedings Inferiors must to Superiors 2. He is in infite in justice No doubt but his judgements are all just though men do not alwayes understand the reason of them A man may be mis-informed or judge amisse out of passion but God cannot For the second God will give a reason of his judgements though he need not Reason 1. Because of his love to man being willing to inform him of his proceedings God will not hide his proceedings about Sodome from Abraham because he shall have a great posterity and will acquaint them therewith and so bring much glory to God Gen. 18.17 18. 2. For mans good that he may bring him to repentance How shall the Childe mend if the Father tell him not why he strikes
to it and power over it to dispose of it Most interpreters understand it of giving to the poor and trouble themselves much to know how the poor are owners of other mens goods An hard phrase and not to be found in Scripture in this sense which usually calls it giving freely and Almes and poor men are taught to ask for mercy not to demand it as due And they who make them owners of other mens goods open a great gap to them to take it by foul means if they cannot have it by intreaty and to say May I not take mine own goods where I find them what should hinder Some say poor men have an interest in other mens goods because of their goods because of their wants others that they have it by nature being men as we are others because God bids us relieve them But these titles will hardly make them to be masters of what is not theirs The interpreters run this way because the next Verse mentions giving to the poor But as this interpretation answers not well to the Hebrew words so it confounds two duties paying debts in this verse and giving to the poor in the next Neither will it serve to say This Verse requires giving and the next doing it speedily for the word of not withholding in this Verse requires speedy payment especially joyned to the words following when it is in the power of thine hand to do it I conclude therfore that paying of debts to creditors or labourers is here meant who ought to have what others injuriously keep from them And this is a work of justice not of mercy For the word see on Chap. 1.17 on the word Bird. Heb. Master of a wing When it is in the power of thine hand to do it When thou art able to pay it For if God lay losses and poverty on a man hee cannot pay his debts then neither is it his sin if his losses came not by his own negligence Others understand it when thou hast power to keep it away from him Do not cosen thy creditour though thou couldst do it by force or fraud The hand in the Heb. is used 1. For the member of the body so called The one put out his hand Gen. 38.28 2. For power and strength for the hand is used in strong actions Whom God had delivered from under the hand of the Egyptians Exod. 18.9 3. Help and assistance which is often afforded by the hand Their hand also is with David 1 Sam. 22.17 4. A blow or plague inflicted by the hand My stroke Heb. hand is heavier then my groning Job 23.2 5. A place Thou shalt have a place also without the camp Deut. 23.12 6. The man himself whose hand it is He leaneth on my hand 2 King 5.18 So here In the power of thine hand that is in thy power To do it The word signifies 1. To do a thing What hast thoudone 2. To make a thing God saw every thing that he had made Gen. 1.31 3. To bring forth The Earth brought forth by handfulls Gen. 41.47 4. To prepare or dresse Hee hasted to dresse it Gen. 18.7 5. To advance or make great It is the Lord that advanced Moses 1 Sam. 12.6 6. To Get. The soules that they had gotten in Haran Gen. 12. 5. Here it is is taken in the first sense for doing Figures Hand For the man A figure of the part for the whole Note 1. An Act forbidden Withhold not 2. The Object Good 3. The subject From them to whom it is due 4. The Adjunct of time When it it in the power of thine hand to do it 1. Doct. Outward comforts are good in themselves It is reckoned as a great favour for man to have dominion over the creatures Thou madst him to have dominion over the works of thine hands Psal 8.6 Sure it is then a blessing And Psalns 104. begins and ends with praising God for outward provisions This is best proved by particulars Aske a hungry man if meat be a blessing He will tell you it is otherwise he must die Ask a thirsty man if drink be a blessing He will say he must choak else So for clothing cattle fruits of the earth and of trees Use To blame those that by abuse of these comforts turn blessings into curses so doth the glutton and the drunkard It is a sad thing for a man to go to hell for those comforts which he may have and go to heaven 2. These outward comforts may be lent and convayed from one man to another lending is a Christian dutie as well as giving The righteous man is ever mercifull and lendeth Psal 37.26 Do good and lend Luke 6.35 So is trading exchange buying and selling lawfull Abraham bought a field and the trees of it Gen. 23.17 The father of the faithfull thought it lawfull and knew how to drive a bargain Reas 1. Because we may have something to spare that other 〈◊〉 may need and they may have somewhat we may need which may be communicated from one to another without losse And then both humanity and communion of Saints teach us to communicate to others 2. Men may want that at present which afterwards they may repay or requite and need not to receive of gift Use It teacheth us a willingnesse to lend to others and to trade with others the time may come we may need to borrow of them or trade with them so we may help both them and our selves Doct. 3. Conscience is to be made of paying debts and restoring things to the right owners If a man borrow ought of his neighbour and it be hurt or die the owner thereof being not with it he shall surely make it good Exod. 22.14 Render to all their dues Owe nothing to any man but to love one another Rom. 13.7.8 Reas 1. Because nature teacheth that debts must be paid Why do we look for dutie from children or servants but because it is a debt 2. Because else we prejudice others with whom we have to doe and expose them to want who have by trading or lending relieved our wants which is to doe evill for good Use It serves to ery out against unconscionable men that make no conscience of paying debts it will stick as a spot upon our religion many among the Turks are said to be more just in this particular I have heard a Turky merchant of good Note say that when he was to come away from Constantinople some of the Turks came to him not sent for to pay their debts And a Morocco Merchant affiming that when the King died there who traded much with the English Merchants the Queen sent for them to Court and paid them every penny But especially this should trouble their consciences who though rich and able yet detain poor labourers wages they would be loth to be so dealt withall themselves if they were in want Behold the cry of the labourers which have reapâ—d down your fields which is of you kept back by