Proverbs 25

THese Which are contain'd in this and the following Chapters. are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Certain persons appointed by Hezekiah for that work, whether Prophets, as Isaiah, Hosea, or Micah, who lived in his days, or some others, it is neither evident nor material. Most of them are political Precepts, and such as in a special manner concerned Hezekiah, and other Princes, to know, for the conduct of their House and Kingdom. Hezekiah king of Judah copied out Either out of other Books or Writings of Solomon, concerning natural or civil things, of which we read, 1 Kin. 4. 32. Or out of the historical Records which were then extant concerning Solomon's speeches and actions in the History of the Kings of Iudah, which is oft mentioned in holy Scripture..

It is the glory of God It is agreeable to the Nature, and highly conducing to the Honour of God, because it is a Testimony of his infinite Wisdom and Knowledg, of his absolute Power and Soveraignty, and of his other incomprehensible Perfections. to conceal a thing To keep his counsels, and the reasons of his actions in his own Breast, that he needs not to impart them to any other for their advice and assistance, as being self-sufficient both for the contrivance and execution of whatsoever pleaseth him, and accountable to none for any of his matters.: but the honour of kings is But Kings must not affect to be like God in this respect, because they are Creatures, and therefore ignorant and insufficient, and accountable to an higher Authority. to search out a matter In the conduct of their great affairs, not to lean to their own understandings, nor to be wedded to their own wills, but to communicate their counsels to others, that so they may search and find out the true and right way, and to be ready to give a satisfactory account of the Justice and reasonableness of them as occasion shall require..

The heaven for height, and the earth for depth As no Man upon Earth can exactly discover the height of Heaven, or the depth of Earth, or discern what is contained in them., and the heart of kings is unsearchable Though wise Kings will search out other men and things, yet their inward thoughts and purposes are hardly discoverable, partly because every Man's Heart lies out of the fight of others, and partly because it is the practice of Kings industriously to conceal their intentions..

Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer Then, and not till then it is fit for that use..

Take away the wicked from before the king From his Court and Councels., and his throne shall be established By removing them who by their wicked counsels and practices provoked God's displeasure against the King, and blasted his Reputation, and alienated the Hearts of his People from him. in righteousness By such impartial execution of Justice..

Put not forth thy self Heb. Do not magnifie, or, glorifie thy self, by vaunting speech or carriage, but, which is implied, carry thy self humbly and modestly, which is most pleasing to Kings, and most becoming and safe for thee. in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men Do not affect nor use frequent and familiar Society with greater Persons than thy self, whereby thou maist easily involve thy self in much guilt, and expose thy self to envy or contempt, and to many other inconveniences..

For better it is It is more for thy credit and comfort. that it be said unto thee By some publick Officer or by the King himself., Come up hither: than that thou shouldst be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen Into whose presence and acquaintance thou hast so boldly intruded thy self, who as before he observed thy impudence so now he sees and suffers this publick disgrace to be cast upon thee..

Go not forth hastily Without necessary cause and due consideration. to strive Either judicially or otherwise., lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour has put thee to shame For thy folly in undertaking what thou wast not able to accomplish, and for thy injustice in charging him wrongfully..

Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself If thou hast any quarrel with him, first try to compose it by private discourse with him. Compare Mat. 5. 25. & 18. 15. Luk. 12. 58.; and discover not a secret Any secret. Let no heat of contention provoke thee to divulge any of his secret counsels committed to thy trust, or to reproach him with any of his secret faults, as is usual in Law suits, and other contentions. Or, the secret, any secret difference between thee and him, which therefore is fittest to be ended secretly between you, and not to be imparted to any other. to another.

Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame Reproach thee for thy gross violation of the Laws of Prudence, and Justice, and Charity, and Friendship therein., and thine infamy turn not away And that disgrace which thou didst design against another fall, and be fastned upon thy self..

A word fitly spoken For the matter, and season, and other circumstances of it is like apples of gold in pictures of silver Which it seems was usual in those times, and was grateful to the Eye for the beauty and variety both of the Colours and Figures, the golden Apples appearing through Net-work of Silver, or being engraven or pourtrayed upon Tablets of Silver..

As an ear-ring of Gold, and ornament of fine gold Highly acceptable and a great Ornament, and not an offence and dishonour, as fools esteem it., so is a wise reprover That reproves an offender faithfully. Yet prufently in the fittest manner and season. upon an obedient ear To a Man that hearkens to it, and is instructed and reformed by it..

As the cold of snow Either 1. as drink cooled with Ice or Snow, as was, and is usual in hot Countries. Or 2. as a cool Air such as is in Snowy seasons. Or 3. as drink which is as cold as Snow. in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters With a true account and speedy dispatch of those important Affairs which were committed to him..

Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift Pretending that he has given, or promising that he will give a Man those gifts, which he neither has given, nor intendeth to give him., is like clouds and wind without rain Like empty Clouds carried about with wind, and not affording that Rain which by their appearance they promise..

By long forbearing By patient submission and expectation. is a prince persuaded Or, pacified, whereas his rage is increased by opposition. Compare Eccles. 10. 4., and a soft tongue A mild and humble answer. breaketh the bone Softneth an Heart which is as hard as Bone or Stone. He alludes to those Oyls which sink through the Flesh to the very Bone. See Psal. 109. 18..

Hast thou found honey Which in those parts was oft found in Woods or Fields, as Iudg. 14. 8, &c. 1 Sam. 14. 25. By Honey he understands, not only all delicious Meats, but all present and worldly delights, which we are here taught to use with moderation, eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it Hony excessively taken disposeth a Man to vomiting..

Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbours house Visit him not too frequently nor unseasonably., lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee As men are apt to loath those Meats of which they surfeit, as was now observed, v. 16..

A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour, is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow Is as cruel and pernicious to him as any instrument of Death The design of the Proverb is to show the wickedness of slander, and that a false witness is in some respect as bad as a Murderer..

Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble, is like a broken tooth and a foot out of joynt It is not only deceitful, but hurtful, as a broken Tooth though it make show of helping, yet is not only unhelpful to a Man for chewing his Meat, but also troublesome and painful; and as a Foot out of Joynt, does not help but hinder, and pain him that attempts to walk upon it..

As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather When it is most seasonable and necessary., and as vinegar upon nitre Which dissolves the Nitre, and makes it useless and ineffectual.; so is he He is no less absurd and impertinent. that singeth songs to an heavy heart Whose grief is not relieved but increased by it, as common experience shows, and divers learned Authors have observed..

If thine enemy be hungry, give him Bread By Bread and Water he understands all things necessary for his subsistence. to eat: and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink.

For Understand, in so doing, which words are expressed, Rom 12. 20. where this Text is quoted. thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head Either 1. in a bad sense, Thou shalt hereby aggravate his sin and occasion a more speedy and grievous vengeance from God, which, like fire from Heaven, shall fall upon his Head and consume him. Not that he persuades him to do a kindness with an evil intent, with an expectation or desire, or design of bringing God's wrath upon him, but only he foretels what would happen and dissuades him from taking vengeance, and provokes him to kindness instead of it, because vengeance is God's peculiar work which he will certainly inflict upon such Persons, which argument is used to that very purpose by St. Paul, Rom. 12. 19. Or 2. in a good sense, Thou shalt melt him into repentance and inflame him with love and kindness to thee for so unexpected and undeserved a favour, he shall be as neartily grieved and tormented with the Thoughts of his vile and wicked carriage to thee, as a Man would... e that had burning Coals of Fire heaped upon his Head. But if these Coals of Fire do not melt him but still he hardens his Heart against thee, they will consume him. Thus either by the one or by the other way thou shall be secured and deliverd from him. The Metaphor may seem to be taken from Founders who melt the hardest Metals by heaping Coals of Fire upon them. And the Head may be here mentioned rather than any other part, because in Scripture Phrase both Blessings and Curses are said to fall upon mens Heads, i. e. upon them, heads being frequently put for Persons., and the LORD shall reward thee Thy charity to him shall be fully recompensed to thee, if not by him, yet by God, which is far better..

The North-wind driveth away rain: so does an angry countenance In the hearer, who by his countenance shows his dislike of such Persons and practices. a backbiting tongue Heb. a secret Tongue, which privily slandereth his Neighbour as it is expressed, Psal. 101. 5. and as the manner of Back-biters is. But this Verse is otherwise rendred in the Margent, and by diverse others, The North Wind bringeth forth (as this Verb properly and most frequently signifies, and as it is rendred by all the Ancient Interpreters, and by many others) Rain: (which it does in Iudea, because the Sea lies Norward, as well as Westward, from it, as also in Africa, as Aristotle observes, though it drive away Rain in Countries of another situation) so does a backbiting Tongue (cause) an angry Countenance, it causeth much anger and mischief, both to the Person slandered, and to the slanderer, and to other Persons who may be concerned with or for either of them, as is manifest from common experience..

It is better to dwell in a corner of the house top, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.

As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far countrey Because it comes thither more rarely and difficultly, after it has been long expected and earnestly desired, all which circumstances make it more acceptable..

A righteous man falling down Either 1. into sin. So the sense is, When a just Man is either allured or terrified into any sinful practice before wicked men, or into any base and servile compliance with their Lusts, he who by his excellent counsels was like a Fountain or well of life, as his Mouth is called, Prov. 10. 11. sending forth refreshing streams for the benefit of many, is now corrupted and rendered unserviceable. Or rather 2. into misery, of which kind of falling this word is constantly used, and never to my remembrance of falling into sin. And so the sense is this, When righteous men are oppressed and devoured by the wicked, the state of that Commonwealth is as deplorable, as if the publick Fountains, from whence all the People fetch their Water, were corrupted, and it is a sign that the Fountains of Justice are poisoned. before the wicked, is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.

* It is not good To wit, for the health of the Body. to eat much honey; so for men Which words are easily understood both out of the foregoing clause, where the Honey is supposed to be eaten by men, and out of the following words which are evidently meant of them. to search their own glory Industriously to seek for honour and applause from men., is not glory Is not only sinful, but shameful also and a sign of a vain and mean spirit. The Negative Particle, not is here understood out of the former part of the Verse, as it is, Psal. 1. 5. & 9. 18..

He that has no rule over his own spirit Over his passions, and especially his anger, which is signified by this word. Prov. 16. 2. Eccles. 10. 4., is like a city that is broken down and without walls Exposeth himself to manifold dangers and mischiefs..