speaking softly to his companions lest he should be over-heard by some body and so prevented in what he hath designed to doe In a word the meaning is that wicked men by their cunning plots and hypocrisy in the close carrying on their designes do work much villany Vers 31. The hoary head is a crown of glory if it be found in the way of righteousnesse To such a one the gray hairs wherewith his head is compassed round about is a glorious ornament even as a silver crown which God himself hath put upon his head to wit because such an one doth in a speciall manner bear in himself the image of God who is the Ancient of daies Dan. 7.9 as likewise because old men by long experience do often attain the greater wisdome and the very gray hairs of such men do render their countenance the more comely grave and do naturally procure the more authority and respect amongst men Vers 32. He that is flow to anger is better then the mighty c. That is he is a man of greater excellency and more to be commended for his strength and fortitude then he that is of mighty bodily strength to wit because the strength of the soul is better then bodily strength it enables men to bear reproaches and injuries which are of all burdens the heaviest hardest to be born to resist and overcome a mans own unruly passions and sinfull lusts together with those principalities powers Eph. 6.12 which of all enemies are most hardly resisted and subdued And by mens subduing these much benefit redounds to other whereas the mighty man cannot obtain victories nor subdue cities without much bloudshed and hurt to others And to the same purpose is the following clause and he that ruleth his spirit that is that overruleth his affections passions then he that taketh a city who may the while be a slave to his own lust But see the Note also chap. 14.29 CHAP. XVII Vers 1. BEtter is a dry morsell quietnesse therewith then a house full of sacrifices with strife We had a Proverb before much like this chap. 15.17 for which see the Note there But the meaning of this is briefly thus that the smallest coursest pittance with quiet is more comfortable safe and wholesome then a house full of good chear for that is meant by a house full of sacrifices see the Note chap. 7.14 with strife and contention Which may be said because at feasts wine good chear do usually cause many quarrels or else to imply that it is better to be in a low then in a high condition because these are usually exposed to more envy and hatred and strife then meaner men are Others also understand this Proverb of the happinesse of those that enjoy a little with quiet of conscience above those that have plenty with a conscience that continually chideth them for what they have gotten unjustly or for some other wickednesse Vers 2. A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame c. See the Notes chap. 10.5 and 14.35 and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren Thus it is usually in both particulars mentioned The first when a servant for his wisdome is advanced to some place of honour magistracy and so the foolish son having wasted his estate being become poor liveth under his command or else when the master of such a servant shall give him the rule over his whole family or shall make him at his death one of his Executors a guardian over his foolish son perhaps over all his children And so the second also either when such a servant growing rich and great buyes the estate of his masters prodigal child or rather when a master shall give one of his daughters in marriage to such a servant or shall adopt him for his son and thereupon shall at his death allot him a share in his inheritance But the drift of the Proverb is to shew that wisdome doth often prefer men above those that otherwise had it not been for their folly might have been their betters Vers 3. The fining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold but the Lord tryeth the hearts Either we must understand these words thus that as the fining pot and the furnace do try silver and gold so the Lord whose eyes are as a flame of fire Rev. 1.14 tryeth the hearts of men or thus whereas the gold-smith can by his art try of what goodnesse his silver gold are can purify them from the drosse that was in them none but the Lord only can try that is exactly know or purify and purge by affliction or otherwise the hearts of men See the Notes Psal 7.9 and 26.2 and 66.10 and Job 23.10 Vers 4. A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips c. That is to lies slanders flatteries or generally to all manner of evil speeches whatsoever and a liar giveth eare to a naughty tongue that is a mischievous tongue or a lying slanderous tongue The drift of this Proverb therefore may be to shew 1. that not only to speak evil but also willingly to hearken to evil speakers to be prone to believe lies is the property of a wicked man or 2. that wicked men are still ready to yield to the evil suggestions enticements commands of others or 3. that because men are delighted with such talk as is sutable to their disposition therefore liars and slanderers love to hear the lies and slanders of others and generally all wicked men delight to hear those that talk wickedly Vers 5. Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his maker That is he that derideth a man distressed with poverty or any other sad affliction It is a sin to deride any body but the poor man is mentioned because men do usually take most liberty to scoffe at such men and yet the deriding of them is worst because thereby men adde affliction to the afflicted But see the Note chap. 14.31 Vers 6. Childrens children are the crown of old men c. To wit because this makes known that they are very aged and because children are a glorious blessing of God and do render their parents to be the more reverenced respected and to be of the more authority amongst men and the glory of children are their fathers to wit whether living or dead for living with them their wisdome and authority do supply many defects in their children and whether living or dying they are an honour to them But now both these clauses must be understood both of parents children that are vertuous pious for otherwise they will both be but a crown of thorns to their nearest relations Vers 7. Excellent speech becometh not a fool c. Some by excellent speech understand copious fluency of speech which they say becometh not a fool because the more he speaks the more he will discover his folly Again others by excellent speech understand a
see the Notes Job 29.16 Psal 41.1 but the wicked regardeth not to know it to wit that he may the more freely slight and oppresse them Vers 8. Scornfull men c. See the Notes chap. 1.22 and 8.8 and Psal 1.1 bring a city into a snare that is into desperate dangers to wit by stirring up the wrath of God or the magistrate against the city with their obstinate and incorrigible wickednesse and rebellion or by provoking with scornfull and opprobrious words or usage as Hanun dealt with Davids embassadours 2 Sam. 10.3 4. any that may be stirred up thereby to come in a hostile manner against them to ruine the city But this may be read also as it is in the margin of our Bibles Scornfull men set a city on fire to wit by kindling dissentions or raising tumults therein or by drawing down judgements from God by their wickednesse upon the inhabitants But wise men turn away wrath to wit the wrath of God or the supreme magistrate or any other incensed against the city as namely by appeasing mutinies by their wise counsell by their prayers and righteous conversation and opposing the wickednesse of others so they deliver the city from danger Vers 9. If a wise man contended with a foolish man c. To wit as seeking thereby to pacify him or to reclaim him from any evil way or to convince him of any point of truth or right whether he rage or laugh that is whether he doe it in a severe manner with much vehemency of spirit with discovering himself to be highly offended at the fools presumption obstinacy or whether he doe it with all mildnesse in a smiling jesting way as pitying laughing at his impertinencies folly there is no rest that is he shall never be able to quiet or content or satisfy the fool or he himself shall never be quiet nor shall be ever able to free himself from him But yet because the expressions here used of raging laughing do better fit the foolish then the wise man I should rather understand that clause of him to wit that when a wise man contendeth with a fool whether the fool do rage against the wise man or whether he laugh scoff at him there is no rest that is there is no quieting of him or he is as insufferable to the wise man when he laughs is in sport as when he is furious and rageth Vers 10. The bloud-thirsty hate the upright c. That is even the upright man that is most harmlesse innocent in his life or they so hate him that they will not spare his life that because his upright life doth condemn their wickednesse because upright men are wont to oppose such bloudy men and to endeavour to have them punished yea this may imply also that even in hating him they are no better then murderers in Gods sight But the just seek his soul that is they love the upright so seek to save his life so rescue him from the malice of the bloud-thirsty or they will require his life of the bloud-thirsty that have slain him by bringing them to suffer for it yea some understand it thus that whereas the bloud-thirsty hate slay the upright the just and upright on the other side will seek to preserve the life of the bloud-thirsty man Vers 11. A fool uttereth all his mind c. See the Notes chap. 10.14 12.16 23. 14.33 15.28 17.27 Vers 12. If a ruler hearken to lies all his servants are wicked That is say some Expositours he thinks them all such because by those liars to whom he hearkens they are reported to be such or rather they are usually wicked to wit flatterers slanderers such as will tell him all manner of lies as hoping thereby to please him get his favour And then besides 1. Servants are usually such as are their rulers 2. such rulers will if it may be have no other servants 3. God doth often in his wrath fit them with servants sutable to their temper Some conceive also that it is not said all his servants are liars but more generally all his servants are wicked because lying is usually a covert for all kind of wickednesse Vers 13. The poor and the deceitfull man or the usurer meet together c. That is the poor and the rich for he mentioned the usurer or the deceitfull man only because rich men do usually get their great estates by usury and deceit the Lord lighteneth both their eyes that is they both live by him see the Note Psal 13.2 and he causeth his sunne to shine upon them both or he sheweth mercy and giveth the graces of his spirit equally to both without any respect of persons But see the Note chap. 22.2 Vers 15. The rod and reproof c. That is either of them severally or the rod when it is accompanied with reproof give wisdome so far is it from making children fools as fond parents are wont to say it will do therefore such a child will be an honour to his parents which is implyed from the following words but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame to wit through his folly and wickednesse see the Note chap. 10.1 Vers 16. When the wicked are multiplied transgression encreaseth c. To wit not only because there are then the more to transgresse Gods laws but also because wicked men are wont to sollicit others to sin to encourage help one another in their wickednesse yea their very example is infectious especially because the very multitude of the wicked is in it self a ground of making them bold in all kind of wickednesse in regard that they are prone to justify themselves in that they doe by the example of a multitude at least they become hereby fearlesse of being hindered in the evil they would doe or of being punished for it when it is done may rather hope thereupon to be countenanced favoured by many And hence it is that the presumption of the wicked Israelites is set forth by this Hos 4.7 As they were encreased so they sinned against me As for the following clause but the righteous shall see their fall see the Note Psal 91.8 It is doubtless here added either to secure the righteous from being drawn away by the throng of the wicked to the encrease of their transgressions or to comfort them both against their fear of being in danger in such times against their sorrow for such abounding wickednesse so likewise to beat off wicked men from hoping to escape punishments because of their multitudes by giving them to understand that the more their transgressions are encreased the more the measure of their sin is filled up so the nearer they are to destruction Vers 17. Correct thy son and he shall give thee rest c. That is though it may be irksome and grievous to thee to doe
understand by wise men those that are spiritually wise and godly and by the fool and the brutish man such as are carnall wicked men and thence they conceive are those different expressions that the wise are said to die but the fool and the brutish person to perish But I understand the words rather in the most generall sense and conceive that the drift of them is to shew that death is the end of all men whatsoever and that when that hour comes they must all part with the wealth of this world and leave it to others And yet some understand that last clause and leave their wealth to others of leaving it to strangers and not to their own posterity or family according to that which is said elsewhere Eccles 6.1 2. Luke 12.19 and Psal 39.7 Vers 11. Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue for ever c. That is They verily think within themselves that they shall dwell in their houses for ever or that their posterity shall continue for ever see the Note Exod. 1.21 or that the houses they build shall remain for ever which the following words and their dwelling places to all generations make the more probable All these waies the words may be understood and accordingly the drift and scope thereof may be either 1. that these mighty men do carry themselves so as if they thought they should live for ever yea though by daily experience they see the contrary for this aggravation of their brutishnesse is implyed by subjoyning this upon that which went before vers 10. or 2. that at least they expect that their memory shall in their posterity and in their stately dwellings and great revenues be continued for ever and therefore they set their hearts upon these outward things in stead of seeking to assure themselves that their names are written in heaven they are only sollicitous to make their names famous upon earth and therefore they call their lands after their own names to wit to perpetuate the memory of their names as Alexandria was called of Alexander and Caesarea of Caesar c. Vers 12. Neverthelesse man being in honour abideth not c. That is The man that is in honourable condition but is brutish wicked and understandeth not as is expressed afterwards vers 20 continueth not in his honourable estate if God doth not whilst he lives strip him of his worldly dignities yet at least death will surely pull him down he is like the beasts that perish that is in regard of the present life which such men only mind dying he passeth away as the brute beasts do and then they are forgotten as the beast is when it dies and there is no more reckoning made of them then of beasts that dying of themselves are left in the field as carrion to rot and putrify The first clause man being in honour abideth not was commonly by the ancients understood of the sudden fall of our first parents from that estate of honour wherein God at first created them But the whole context shews that this cannot be here intended the most that can be said herein is that there may be a secret allusion to Adams fall to wit that as he continued not in his glorious condition so neither do these wicked men abide long in their pomp and outward prosperity Vers 13. This their way is their folly c. That is This their constant practise to wit in pursuing worldly riches and greatnesse and seeking to perpetuate the memory of their names by their stately dwellings c. for this refers to that he had said before vers 11. is no better then meer folly or discovers their folly however they account it a high point of wisdome Or it may be referred to that which was said in the foregoing verse This their way that is this which is the issue and event of their way to wit that they abide not in honour but perish as the beast doth is their folly that is manifests their folly Yet their posterity approve their sayings that is though they by experience see the vanity and folly of these waies of their fathers who after all their dreams of living here for ever and of the perpetuity of their names die as others and are buried in oblivion yet they approve of their counsell and commands whereby they advised them to mind these things chiefly these are the sayings of their fathers which some conceive are here meant or they approve of their sayings that is in that they think and speak and doe the same things treading exactly in the steps of their fathers For even the deeds of their fathers do proclaim what their judgements are and therefore even with respect thereto it may be said that their children do approve their sayings Vers 14. Like sheep they are laid in the grave death shall feed on them c. That is As the silly sheep are by flocks driven into a narrow pin-fold or into the shambles that they may be killed and eaten being no way able to make any resistance nor ever fearing any danger they are in so shall these great ones whom the whole world could hardly satisfy be brought thick and threefold in great numbers and lodged together in the narrow compasse of a grave under the power and tyranny of death where for all their former greatnesse and bravery they shall be made worms meat yea meat for the worm that never dies death both temporall and eternall shall feed on them and that for ever the wicked in hell being as the grasse is to the beast that still growing continueth still to be meat for it And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning that is though they die as well as others yet at the last day the day of the generall resurrection which is as it were the morning the dawning of that new day of eternall life which shall never have end when all that sleep in the dust Dan. 12.2 shall awake and rise and the darknesse of the ignorance afflâ—ctions of this life coming to an end the Saints shall behold Christ the sun of righteousnesse appearing in his glory face to face they shall have dominion over these great ones that had before in this life tyrannized over them to wit in and by Christ their head whose footstool they must be made according to that 1 Cor. 6.2 Do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the world This I conceive is the meaning of this clause Yet some understand it otherwise and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning that is they shall soon get the better of them and be in a better condition then their great oppressors As for the last clause and their beauty or strength shall consume in the grave from their dwelling the meaning is that from their magnificent dwellings where they had lived in so great pomp and state they should be brought to the grave where their glory and strength together
usually turn to gall choler in the stomack so doth cause there exceeding bitter gripings pains so the flatteries of a strumpet do usually bring upon men many bitter deadly terrours miseries Vers 5. Her feet goe down to death c. That is thither she leads those that follow her see the Note chap. 2.18 her steps take hold on hell that is both she and her associates are at the very brink of hell Vers 6. Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life her waies are moveable thou canst not know them This is a very hard place But two expositions are most commonly followed For 1. some understand it of the young mans pondering the waies of the strange womans life conversation Lest saith he thou shouldest ponder the path of life that is lest thou shouldest mark her way of life which being discovered were indeed enough to make thee loath her her waies are moveable thou canst not know them that is her waies are so variable she will have so many severall devices to intangle thee will be so cunning to transform her self into all forms fashions that though thou shouldest observe her never so diligently and as it were weigh her actions the waies she takes in a balance it would be lost labour thou wilt never be able to find her out nor to evade all her snares but wilt be overthrown by her pestilent inchantments before thou canst discern her villanous designs courses But now because it is not render'd in our Bibles Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of her life but Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life we may see that our Translatours did rather understand it of the young mans pondering the way of life that is the way how he should preserve his life or the way of holinesse which is the true way of life and the way that leads unto life eternall Because the young man might think that though he kept company with the whorish woman yet he would take care to preserve his life by getting in time away from her or that yet he would in time repent and have a care of his soul to beat him off from thus flattering himself Solomon tels him here how impossible this was Lest saith he thou shouldest ponder the path of life that is Lest thou shouldest consider what course thou mightest take for the preservation of thy life or Lest thou shouldest bethink thy self of saving thy soul and of betaking thy self to the waies of holinesse her waies are moveable thou canst not know them that is her waies are so variable inconstant sometimes pretending one thing sometimes another that thou wilt never be able to know what thou maiest give credit to what not and consequently what course it were best for thee to take to escape the danger thou art in or her waies are so crafty crooked so many severall devices she will have to ensnare thee that thou wilt never be able to discover her devices therein that so thou shouldest bethink thy self of avoiding the danger of them but it will be with thee as with men that goe in by-paths full of windings turnings thou wilt be sure to loose thy self or her waies run headlong to hell thither they will carry thee without suffering thee to discern the danger thou art in or to bethink thy self of the waies of life This expression of the moveablenesse of the harlots waies may be used either with reference to the impossibility of throughly discerning those things that are in continuall motion so may imply that by reason of the harlots continuall various waies and devices she hath to delight and ensnare the young man that converseth with her though he now then may think of the evil of her waies and of betaking himself into the path of life yet she will soon cause such motions to vanish away neither will he be able seriously to ponder them in his mind or else by way of allusion to malefactours or foxes badgers that have usually many secret holes and hiding-places to shelter themselves in that they may not be taken thereby signifying the many wiles the harlot hath to keep her lovers from finding out her mischievous designs Vers 9. Lest thou give thine honour unto others c. That is Lest thou suffer others to rob thee of thy good name the credit good esteem which formerly thou didst enjoy And by others may be meant either simply harlots because usually one doth not satisfy the lustfull person or else together with them bawds parasites such other lewd companions with whom such unclean persons do usually converse I know that some Expositours do under this word honour comprehend the wealth wherewith God hath honoured a man the children he begets of the adulteresse as likewise the flower of a mans life his strength beauty all the honourable endowments both of his body mind yea some extend it also to that honour of a mans being created after Gods image But because these may be better comprised under the following clauses I rather take this to be meant of the shame dishonour which this sin brings upon men And thy years to the cruell that is lest thou suffer cruell harlots to wast shorten the years of thy life or lest thou spend the precious time of thy youth upon them which might be spent otherwaies to Gods glory thine own great advantage And indeed well may the harlot be called cruell because whereas the wife is carefull of her husbands estate health safety the harlot cares not how she wasts them yet afterwards when he is brougnt to poverty will never mind him nor pitty him besides that often such kind of women will not stick to poyson or make away their lovers that so some other may be entertained in their stead I know that by the cruell some understand the strange womans husband that in his jealousy will fall upon the adulterer with all possible fury not admitting of any excuse or satisfaction see chap. 6.34 35 others those that are the young mans rivals or else those bawds ruffians usurers that do cruelly wast his estate But the first exposition is clearly the best Vers 10. Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth thy labours be in the house of a stranger That is Lest thou dost wast thy substance upon whores bawds and such like vile persons upon the adulteresse her husband children servants upon usurers of whom thou must borrow money or such as must be bribed to conceal thy wickednesse And hereby Solomon doth covertly intimate what a folly it is for a man to squander away that which he hath gotten by wasting his strength in hard labour upon mere strangers so that neither his wife children kindred or friends shall be any way the better for it The first clause is in the Original Lest strangers be filled with thy strength that is with
Note Psal 37.25 usually God doth provide things necessary for them yea even in times of famine God doth usually provide for them in some extraordinary way and because however God gives them those inward refreshings and that sweet contentment of spirit that this is in stead of food to them therefore are these temporall promises commonly expressed in the Scripture in such generall tearms But yet still we must remember that in all such promises this exception is implyed to wit that thus it shall be with them unlesse God shall deal better with them in taking them up into heaven But he casteth away the substance of the wicked to wit so that they are many times famished Vers 5. He that gathereth in summer c. To wit in harvest as it is in the opposite clause that is He that dispatcheth his businesse and doth what is to be done for his own advantage whilst time serves as for instance he that in his youth or whilst he is in his full strength stores up for himself before the winter of old age is a wise son so consequently is himself honoured amongst men and is an honour to his parents family but he that sleepeth in harvest that is neglecteth the seasons of providing well for himself is a son that causeth shame that is by his carelesnesse sloth and the beggery he bringeth upon himself he doth not only shame himself but his parents too men being ready to charge the faults of young men upon the parents neglect in not giving them good education Vers 6. Blessings are upon the head of the just c. See the Notes Gen. 49.26 The meaning of this expression is this All men do wish pray for the just man that he may be blessed God doth showre down plenty of all kind of blessings upon him which are openly in the sight of all men as an ornament to him so consequently he can with confidence open his mouth in praising God in a holy boasting of Gods favour and in maintaining his own integrity for this is implyed in the following opposite clause but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked that is for the oppression extortion and other violent practices of the wicked the curses judgements of God shall be showred down abundantly upon them insomuch that thereby by the remembrance of their former sins they shall be even overwhelmed with shame their mouths shall be so stopped that they shall have nothing to say either by way of excuse or defence for themselves or by way of begging mercy or of speaking mischievously in regard of the righteous as formerly they have done see the Notes Job 5.16 Psal 63.11 I know some understand the last clause otherwise Violence covereth the mouth of the wicked that is Violent judgements from God shall as it were choke or stop the breath of the wicked they shall be condemned and executed as malefactours see the Notes Esth 7.8 and Job 9.24 Vers 7. The memory of the just is blessed c. That is the remembrance of them shall be sweet delightfull to men and whenever they speak of such a one they shall blesse praise him scarce ever making mention of him without his due commendation but the name of the wicked shall rot that is his name shall become loathsome and abominable it shall stink above ground like a rotten carcase and at last it shall be utterly abolished and forgotten Vers 8. The wise in heart will receive commandements c. That is They that are truly wise do not only boast and make a shew of wisdome will chearfully and readily hearken to the instructions and reproofs and obey the commandements of God in his word and of those whom God hath ordained to direct and govern them for the well-ordering of their lives without any replyes or cavils and so consequently for this is implyed by the following opposite clause by this means they avoid those mischiefs and miseries whereinto otherwise they might have fallen are abundantly rewarded of God but a prating fool shall fall that is the man that out of the abundance of folly that is in his heart slights gainsays the holy instructions and directions that are given him as loving to speak himself rather then to hear others to teach and command others rather then to be taught and commanded by others shall certainly fall into many sins miseries both because he rejects with scorn those that would teach him better and because being full of talk blurting out any thing that comes into his mind he exposeth himself thereby to manifold mischiefs The last clause may be render'd but a prating fool shall be beaten that is punished And accordingly some conceive the drift of the words to be this that whilst wise men do willingly obey what is given them in charge fools must by stripes be beaten to doe their duty or they will never doe it Vers 9. He that walketh uprightly c. That is He that liveth holily righteously that doth all that he doth in the uprightnesse simplicity of his heart without any fraud or dissimulation walketh surely that is safely securely without danger without fear of danger even when in the judgement of the world he may seem to be in greatest danger that 1. because he fears not to be found false or deceitfull in any thing he hath spoken or done 2. because he knoweth that God loves him and that he is not lyable to those plagues that God hath threatned against wicked men 3. because though he may be at some time in an afflicted estate yet he is sure that God will cause all things to work together for his good that heaven will at last make amends for all But he that perverteth his waies that is he that alloweth himself in any evil course though never so secretly or he that dealeth deceitfully in any thing whatsoever shall be known that is that which he feareth continually to wit that he shall be discovered so far he is from walking surely that shall come upon him though he carrieth his matters never so cunningly his wickednesse false dealings shall be discovered to his shame by his punishments he shall be made known and so also be made an example to others Vers 10. He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow c. See the Notes chap. 6.13 Job 15.12 Psal 35.19 but a prating fool shall fall see the Note above ver 8. There is not here an opposition made between some vertue the contrary vice as it is most usually in the Proverbs but here as frequently elsewhere two vices are compared together the one of the eyes the other of the lips And if by him that winketh with the eye be meant the scoffer or the man that secretly seeks to doe mischief to those to whom outwardly he carrieth himself fairly friendly or more generally the man that doth
for the handsome comely attire wherewith through her care he is alwaies cloathed or 3. that he is observed much spoken of for his happinesse in regard of the high praises that are every where given of his wife Vers 24. She maketh fine linnen selleth it delivereth girdles unto the merchant To wit girdles curiously wrought for otherwise the merchant would not buy them to carry them into forreign countries And under this one particular all other curious ornaments of the like nature are comprehended See Isa 3.24 Vers 25. Strength honour are her cloathing c. That is In her life and outward behaviour she manifests her self to be strong honourable And by her strength may be meant that magnanimity whereby she was enabled chearfully to undergoe all the labour and diligence that belonged to her place and imployments or more generally that strong measure of grace whereby she was established and confirmed in all wel-doing and enabled to doe more and greater things then others in the waies of vertue and piety And by her honour that glory and fame and good report which thereby she hath attained or that grace and vertue which is an honour to her or that vertuous and sweet carriage of her self with all gravity meeknesse modesty and sobriety which is comely and honourable in the eyes of those that behold it So the drift of these words is to shew that though she is cloathed with silk and purple as was before said ver 22. yet she doth not set her affection on such outward bravery as vain and foolish women do only delight in but she hath other ornaments to wit these wherewith she is inwardly adorned wherein she chiefly delights and which are a greater glory to her then any outward decking can possibly be And she shall rejoyce in time to come that is say some in her old age because she may then take her rest and live comfortably upon that which by her industry she had gotten in her younger years or at the hour of her death because she hath the testimony of her own conscience that she hath not mis-spent her time but hath in her place laboured to discharge a good conscience in every regard and hath by her industry gotten a good estate to leave behind her for her children But I conceive that the words must be taken more generally that whatever happens in time to come whether it be sicknesse or death or any great losses or any other calamity whatsoever she is not sollicitous nor troubled but lives comfortably she is not like those women that having vainly wasted their estates and mis-spent their time do weep mourn when such changes come upon them for whatever befals her for the reasons before-mentioned the store she hath laid up before-hand and the testimony of a good conscience she enjoyeth much peace and chearfulnesse of spirit Vers 26. She openeth her mouth with wisdome c. As if we should say She is not a woman talkative and given to much tatling as too many women are but when she doth open her mouth to speak she doth it with much wisdome her usuall discourse is concerning matters of true wisdome as when she is catechising and instructing her family and so likewise at other times being still ready upon all occasions to teach them not only the precepts of providence and good huswifery but also the mysteries of religion and godlinesse Yea of whatever it be she speaks she is wont alwaies to speak advisedly discreetly graciously and the law of kindnesse is in her lips that is say some Expositours shâ— is ever speaking of shewing kindnesse and stirring up others thereunto the law that is the doctrine of kindnesse and the manner how men should be kind is still in her mouth But I rather conceive the meaning of this last clause to be that she alwaies speaks lovingly and kindly to all with whom she converseth her husband children servants and others she is not harsh pettish and froward in her language as many women usually are And the reason why this is set down by this kind of expression and the law of kindnesse is in her lips may be either 1. because in so speaking she followeth the directions of the word law of God or 2. because she layeth a law as it were upon her self thus alwaies to speak unlesse there be very just cause to the contrary or 3. because kindnesse doth lay it as it were a law upon her thus to speak and she obeyeth it or 4. because this her kind speaking carrieth the force of a law or command to make her husband and others ready to doe in a manner whatever she would have them Vers 27. She looketh well to the waies of her household c. To wit whether they do well and diligently dispatch their household-affairs and whether they behave themselves in all things as becomes Gods people Vers 28. Her children arise up and call her blessed c. That is they goe forth in publick there they commend her to wit by their commendable carriage of themselves or being stirred up by the observation of those many good things for which she hath been here commended they cannot contain themselves but do carefully addresse themselves to sound forth her praise And indeed this I conceive is the true meaning of this expression Her children arise up and call her blessed For because when men that are sitting would undertake to doe any thing they must rise up to doe it therefore mens buckling themselves to doe any thing is usually expressed in the Scripture by this phrase of rising up see Gen. 37.35 Exod. 2.17 and Jos 18.4 I know that many Expositours do otherwise judge of those words Her children rise up c. as namely that hereby is intended that when her children grow up in age bodily stature wisdome and understanding or that when they rise to honour and preferment by means of the good education which she hath given them then they highly commend her both living and dead or else that they rise up by way of reverence and respect when they speak of her or to her But because the following words seem plainly to imply that her husband also doeth the same Her husband also to wit riseth up and he praiseth her and it cannot be properly said that the husband riseth up according to these later senses that are given of this phrase therefore I take the former expositions to be far the best However observable it is who they are that are here particularly said to have praised her to wit her husband and children Because they have reaped most good by her and because they have been most conversant with her in regard that she is one that keeps much within doors and there her businesse chiefly lyes therefore their praises were most to be regarded Vers 29. Many daughters have done vertuously but thou excellest them all This is the commendation given her by her husband and