A Closer Look At The Book Of Proverbs

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Pr 3:1 ¶ My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands;

Pr 3:2 For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you.

Pr 3:3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart,

Pr 3:4 And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man.

Pr 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;

Pr 3:6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

MHCC

Exhortations to obedience and faith. (1-6)

  1-6 In the way of believing obedience to God's commandments health and peace may commonly be enjoyed; and though our days may not be long upon earth, we shall live for ever in heaven. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee; God's mercy in promising, and his truth in performing: live up to them, keep up thine interest in them, and take the comfort of them. We must trust in the Lord with all our hearts, believing he is able and wise to do what is best. Those who know themselves, find their own understandings a broken reed, which, if they lean upon, will fail. Do not design any thing but what is lawful, and beg God to direct thee in every case, though it may seem quite plain. In all our ways that prove pleasant, in which we gain our point, we must acknowledge God with thankfulness. In all our ways that prove uncomfortable, and that are hedged up with thorns, we must acknowledge him with submission. It is promised, He shall direct thy paths; so that thy way shall be safe and good, and happy at last.

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Pr 3:7 ¶ Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.

Pr 3:8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.

Pr 3:9 Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase;

Pr 3:10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.

Pr 3:11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor detest His correction;

Pr 3:12 For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.


MHCC

To piety, and to improve afflictions. (7-12)

7-12 There is not a greater enemy to the fear of the Lord in the heart, than self-conceit of our own wisdom. The prudence and sobriety which religion teaches, tend not only to the health of the soul, but to the health of the body. Worldly wealth is but poor substance, yet, such as it is, we must honour God with it; and those that do good with what they have, shall have more to do more good with. Should the Lord visit us with trials and sickness, let us not forget that the exhortation speaks to us as to children, for our good. We must not faint under an affliction, be it ever so heavy and long, not be driven to despair, or use wrong means for relief. The father corrects the son whom he loves, because he loves him, and desires that he may be wise and good. Afflictions are so far from doing God's children any hurt, that, by the grace of God, they promote their holiness.

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Pr 3:13 ¶ Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding;

Pr 3:14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold.

Pr 3:15 She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.

Pr 3:16 Length of days is in her right hand, In her left hand riches and honor.

Pr 3:17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace.

Pr 3:18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who retain her.

Pr 3:19 The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens;

Pr 3:20 By His knowledge the depths were broken up, And clouds drop down the dew.


MHCC

To gain wisdom. (13-20)

13-20 No precious jewels or earthly treasures are worthy to be compared with true wisdom, whether the concerns of time or eternity be considered. We must make wisdom our business; we must venture all in it, and be willing to part with all for it. This Wisdom is the Lord Jesus Christ and his salvation, sought and obtained by faith and prayer. Were it not for unbelief, remaining sinfulness, and carelessness, we should find all our ways pleasantness, and our paths peace, for his are so; but we too often step aside from them, to our own hurt and grief. Christ is that Wisdom, by whom the worlds were made, and still are in being; happy are those to whom he is made of God wisdom. He has wherewithal to make good all his promises.

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Pr 3:21 ¶ My son, let them not depart from your eyes-Keep sound wisdom and discretion;

Pr 3:22 So they will be life to your soul And grace to your neck.

Pr 3:23 Then you will walk safely in your way, And your foot will not stumble.

Pr 3:24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.

Pr 3:25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes;

Pr 3:26 For the LORD will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught.

MHCC

Guidance of Wisdom. (21-26)

21-26 Let us not suffer Christ's words to depart from us, but keep sound wisdom and discretion; then shall we walk safely in his ways. The natural life, and all that belongs to it, shall be under the protection of God's providence; the spiritual life, and all its interests, under the protection of his grace, so that we shall be kept from falling into sin or trouble.

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Pr 3:27 ¶ Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so.

Pr 3:28 Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it," When you have it with you.

Pr 3:29 Do not devise evil against your neighbor, For he dwells by you for safety's sake.

Pr 3:30 Do not strive with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm.

Pr 3:31 Do not envy the oppressor, And choose none of his ways;

Pr 3:32 For the perverse person is an abomination to the LORD, But His secret counsel is with the upright.

Pr 3:33 The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the home of the just.

Pr 3:34 Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble.

Pr 3:35 The wise shall inherit glory, But shame shall be the legacy of fools.

MHCC

The wicked and the upright. (27-35)


27-35 Our business is to observe the precepts of Christ, and to copy his example; to do justice, to love mercy, and to beware of covetousness; to be ready for every good work, avoiding needless strife, and bearing evils, if possible, rather than seeking redress by law. It will be found there is little got by striving. Let us not envy prosperous oppressors; far be it from the disciples of Christ to choose any of their ways. These truths may be despised by the covetous and luxurious, but everlasting contempt will be the portion of such scorners, while Divine favour is shown to the humble believer.

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INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS CHAPTER 4
 
When the things of God are to be taught precept must be upon precept, and line upon line, not only because the things themselves are of great worth and weight, but because men's minds, at the best, are unapt to admit them and commonly prejudiced against them; and therefore Solomon, in this chapter, with a great variety of expression and a pleasant powerful flood of divine eloquence, inculcates the same things that he had pressed upon us in the foregoing chapters. Here is,
 
  I. An earnest exhortation to the study of wisdom, that is, of true religion and godliness, borrowed from the good instructions which his father gave him, and enforced with many considerable arguments, Pr 4:1-13.
 
  II. A necessary caution against bad company and all fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, Pr 4:14-19.
 
  III. Particular directions for the attaining and preserving of wisdom, and bringing forth the fruits of it, Pr 4:20-27.  So plainly, so pressingly, is the case laid before us, that we shall be for ever inexcusable if we perish in our folly.
 
Ver. 1. thru Ver. 13.
 
Here we have,
 
  I. The invitation which Solomon gives to his children to come and receive instruction from him (Pr 4:1-2): Hear, you children, the instruction of a father. That is,
 
1.   "Let my own children, in the first place, receive and give good heed to those instructions which I set down for the use of others also."
 
Note, Magistrates and ministers, who are entrusted with the direction of larger societies, are concerned to take a more than ordinary care for the good instruction of their own families; from this duty their public work will by no means excuse them. This charity must begin at home, though it must not end there; for he that has not his children in subjection with all gravity, and does not take pains in their good education, how shall he do his duty as he ought to the church of God? 1Ti 3:4-5. The children of those that are eminent for wisdom and public usefulness ought to improve in knowledge and grace in proportion to the advantages they derive from their relation to such parents. Yet it may be observed, to save both the credit and the comfort of those parents whose children do not answer the hopes that arose from their education, that Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, was far from being either one of the wisest or one of the best. We have reason to think that thousands have got more good by Solomon's proverbs than his own son did, to whom they seem to have been dedicated.
 
2. Let all young people, in the days of their childhood and youth, take pains to get knowledge and grace, for that is their learning age, and then their minds are formed and seasoned. He does not say, My children, but You children. We read but of one son that Solomon had of his own; but (would you think it?) he is willing to set up for a schoolmaster, and to teach other people's children! for at that age there is most hope of success; the branch is easily bent when it is young and tender.
 
3. Let all that would receive instruction come with the disposition of children, though they be grown persons. Let all prejudices be laid aside, and the mind be as white paper. Let them be dutiful, tractable, and self-diffident, and take the word as the word of a father, which comes both with authority and with affection. We must see it coming from God as our Father in heaven, to whom we pray, from whom we expect blessings, the Father of our spirits, to whom we ought to be in subjection, that we may live. We must look upon our teachers as our fathers, who love us and seek our welfare; and therefore though the instruction carry in it reproof and correction, for so the word signifies, yet we must bid it welcome.  Now, (1.) To recommend it to us, we are told, not only that it is the instruction of a father, but that it is understanding, and therefore should be welcome to intelligent creatures. Religion has reason on its side, and we are taught it by fair reasoning. It is a law indeed (Pr 4:2), but that law is founded upon doctrine, upon unquestionable principles of truth, upon good doctrine, which is not only faithful, but worthy of all acceptation. If we admit the doctrine, we cannot but submit to the law.
 
(2.) To rivet it in us, we are directed to receive it as a gift, to attend to it with all diligence, to attend so as to know it, for otherwise we cannot do it, and not to forsake it by disowning the doctrine or disobeying the law.
 
  II. The instructions he gives them. Observe,
 
1. How he came by these instructions; he had them from his parents, and teaches his children the same that they taught him, Pr 4:3-4. Observe,
 
(1.) His parents loved him, and therefore taught him: I was my father's son. David had many sons, but Solomon was his son indeed, as Isaac is called (Ge 17:19) and for the same reason, because on him the covenant was entailed. He was his father's darling, above any of his children. God had a special kindness for Solomon (the prophet called him Jedidiah, because the Lord loved him, 2Sa 12:25), and for that reason David had a special kindness for him, for he was a man after God's own heart.  If parents may ever love one child better than another, it must not be till it plainly appears that God does so. He was tender, and only beloved, in the sight of his mother. Surely there was a manifest reason for making such a distinction when both the parents made it. Now we see how they showed their love; they catechised him, kept him to his book, and held him to a strict discipline. Though he was a prince, and heir-apparent to the crown, yet they did not let him live at large; nay, therefore they tutored him thus. And perhaps David was the more strict with Solomon in his education because he had seen the ill effects of an undue indulgence in Adonijah, whom he had not crossed in any thing (1Ki 1:6), as also in Absalom.
 
Cont
 

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(2.) What his parents taught him he teaches others.  Observe,
 
[1.] When Solomon was grown up he not only remembered, but took a pleasure in repeating, the good lessons his parents taught him when he was a child. He did not forget them, so deep were the impressions they made upon him. He was not ashamed of them, such a high value had he for them, nor did he look upon them as the childish things, the mean things, which, when he became a man, a king, he should put away, as a disparagement to him; much less did he repeat them: as some wicked children have done, to ridicule them, and make his companions merry with them, priding himself that he had got clear from grave lessons and restraints.
 
[2.] Though Solomon was a wise man himself, and divinely inspired, yet, when he was to teach wisdom, he did not think it below him to quote his father and to make use of his words. Those that would learn well, and teach well, in religion, must not affect new-found notions and new-coined phrases, so as to look with contempt upon the knowledge and language of their predecessors; if we must keep to the good old way, why should we scorn the good old words? Jer 6:16.
 
[3.] Solomon, having been well educated by his parents, thought himself thereby obliged to give his children a good education, the same that his parents had given him; and this is one way in which we must requite our parents for the pains they took with us, even by showing piety at home, 1Ti 5:4. They taught us, not only that we might learn ourselves, but that we might teach our children, the good knowledge of God, Ps 78:6. And we are false to a trust if we do not; for the sacred deposit of religious doctrine and law was lodged in our hands with a charge to transmit it pure and entire to those that shall come after us, 2Ti 2:2.
 
[4.] Solomon enforces his exhortations with the authority of his father David, a man famous in his generation upon all accounts. Be it taken notice of, to the honour of religion, that the wisest and best men in every age have been most zealous, not only for the practice of it themselves, but for the propagating of it to others; and we should therefore continue in the things which we have learned, knowing of whom we have learned them, 2Ti 3:14.

cont

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2. What these instructions were, Pr 4:4-13.
 
(1.) By way of precept and exhortation. David, in teaching his son, though he was a child of great capacity and quick apprehension, yet to show that he was in good earnest, and to affect his child the more with what he said, expressed himself with great warmth and importunity, and inculcated the same thing again and again. So children must be taught. De 6:7, Thou shalt whet them diligently upon thy children. David, though he was a man of public business, and had tutors for his son, took all this pains with him himself.
 
[1.] He recommends to him his Bible and his catechism, as the means, his father's words (Pr 4:4), the words of his mouth (Pr 4:5), his sayings (Pr 4:10), all the good lessons he had taught him; and perhaps he means particularly the book of Psalms, many of which were Maschils--psalms of instruction, and two of them are expressly said to be for Solomon. These, and all his other words, Solomon must have an eye to. First, He must hear and receive them (Pr 4:10), diligently attend to them, and imbibe them, as the earth drinks in the rain that comes often upon it, Heb 6:7. God thus bespeaks our attention to his word: Hear, O my son! and receive my sayings. Secondly, He must hold fast the form of sound words which his father gave him (Pr 4:4): Let thy heart retain my words; and except the word be hid in the heart, lodged in the will and affections, it will not be retained.  Thirdly, He must govern himself by them: Keep my commandments, obey them, and that is the way to increase in the knowledge of them, Joh 7:17. Fourthly, He must stick to them and abide by them:
 
  "Decline not from the words of my mouth (Pr 4:5), as fearing they will be too great a check upon thee, but take fast hold of instruction (Pr 4:13), as being resolved to keep thy hold and never let it go."
 
Those that have a good education, though they strive to shake it off, will find it hang about them a great while, and, if it do not, their case is very sad.
 
[2.] He recommends to him wisdom and understanding as the end to be aimed at in the use of these means; that wisdom which is the principal wisdom, get that. Quod caput est sapientia eam acquire sapientiam--Be sure to mind that branch of wisdom which is the top branch of it, and that is the fear of God, Pr 1:7.  Junius and Tremellius. A principle of religion in the heart is the one thing needful; therefore, First, Get this wisdom, get this understanding, Pr 4:5. And again,
 
  "Get wisdom, and with all thy getting, get understanding, Pr 4:7. Pray for it, take pains for it, give diligence in the use of all appointed means to attain it. Wait at wisdom's gate, Pr 8:34. Get dominion over thy corruptions, which are thy follies: get possession of wise principles and the habits of wisdom. Get wisdom by experience, get it above all thy getting; be more in care and take more pains to get this than to get the wealth of this world; whatever thou forgettest, get this, reckon it a great achievement, and pursue it accordingly."
 
True wisdom is God's gift, and yet we are here commanded to get it, because God gives it to those that labour for it; yet, after all, we must not say, Our might and the power of our hand have gotten us this wealth.  Secondly, Forget her not (Pr 4:5), forsake her not (Pr 4:6), let her not go (Pr 4:13), but keep her. Those that have got this wisdom must take heed of losing it again by returning to folly: it is indeed a good part, that shall not be taken from us; but then we must take heed lest we throw it from us, as those do that forget it first, and let it slip out of their minds, and then forsake it and turn out of its good ways. That good thing which is committed to us we must keep, and not let it drop, through carelessness, nor suffer it to be forced from us, nor suffer ourselves to be wheedled out of it; never let go such a jewel. Thirdly, Love her (Pr 4:6), and embrace her (Pr 4:, as worldly men love their wealth and set their hearts upon it. Religion should be very dear to us, dearer than any thing in this world; and, if we cannot reach to be great masters of wisdom, yet let us be true lovers of it; and what grace we have let us embrace it with a sincere affection, as those that admire its beauty. Fourthly,
 
  "Exalt her, Pr 4:8. Always keep up high thoughts of religion, and do all thou canst to bring it into reputation, and maintain the credit of it among men. Concur with God in his purpose, which is to magnify the law and make it honourable, and do what thou canst to serve that purpose."
 
Let Wisdom's children not only justify her, but magnify her, and prefer her before that which is dearest to them in this world. In honouring those that fear the Lord, though they are low in the world, and in regarding a poor wise man, we exalt wisdom.

cont

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(2.) By way of motive and inducement thus to labour for wisdom, and submit to the guidance of it, consider,
 
[1.] It is the main matter, and that which ought to be the chief and continual care of every man in this life (Pr 4:7): Wisdom is the principal thing; other things which we are solicitous to get and keep are nothing to it. It is the whole of man, Ec 12:13. It is that which recommends us to God, which beautifies the soul, which enables us to answer the end of our creation, to live to some good purpose in the world, and to get to heaven at last; and therefore it is the principal thing.
 
[2.] It has reason and equity on its side (Pr 4:11):
 
  "I have taught thee in the way of wisdom, and so it will be found to be at last. I have led thee, not in the crooked ways of carnal policy, which does wrong under colour of wisdom, but in right paths, agreeable to the eternal rules and reasons of good and evil."
 
The rectitude of the divine nature appears in the rectitude of all the divine laws.  Observe, David not only taught his son by good instructions, but led him both by a good example and by applying general instructions to particular cases; so that nothing was wanting on his part to make him wise.
 
[3.] It would be much for his own advantage:
 
"If thou be wise and good, thou shalt be so for thyself."
 
  First,
 
"It will be thy life, thy comfort, thy happiness; it is what thou canst not live without:"
 
  Keep my commandments and live, Pr 4:4. That of our Saviour agrees with this, If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments, Mt 19:17. It is upon pain of death, eternal death, and in prospect of life, eternal life, that we are required to be religious.
 
"Receive wisdom's sayings, and the years of thy life shall be many (Pr 4:10), as many in this world as Infinite Wisdom sees fit, and in the other world thou shalt live that life the years of which shall never be numbered. Keep her therefore, whatever it cost thee, for she is thy life, Pr 4:13. All thy satisfaction will be found in this;"
 
and a soul without true wisdom and grace is really a dead soul. Secondly,
 
"It will be thy guard and guide, thy convoy and conductor, through all the dangers and difficulties of thy journey through this wilderness. Love wisdom, and cleave to her, and she shall preserve thee, she shall keep thee (Pr 4:6) from sin, the worst of evils, the worst of enemies; she shall keep thee from hurting thyself, and then none else can hurt thee."

cont

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As we say,
 
"Keep thy shop, and thy shop will keep thee;" so,
 
"Keep thy wisdom, and thy wisdom will keep thee."
 
It will keep us from straits and stumbling-blocks in the management of ourselves and our affairs, Pr 4:12.
 
1. That our steps be not straitened when we go, that we bring not ourselves into such straits as David was in, 2Sa 24:14.  Those that make God's word their rule shall walk at liberty, and be at ease in themselves.
 
2. That our feet do not stumble when we run. If wise and good men be put upon sudden resolves, the certain rule of God's word which they go by will keep them even then from stumbling upon any thing that may be pernicious. Integrity and uprightness will preserve us. Thirdly,
 
"It will be thy honour and reputation (Pr 4:: Exalt wisdom (do thou but show thy good-will to her advancement) and though she needs not thy service she will abundantly recompense it, she shall promote thee, she shall bring thee to honour."
 
Solomon was to be a king, but his wisdom and virtue would be more his honour than his crown or purple; it was that for which all his neighbours had him so much in veneration; and no doubt, in his reign and David's, wise and good men stood fairest for preferment. However, religion will, first or last, bring all those to honour that cordially embrace her; they shall be accepted of God, respected by all wise men, owned in the great day, and shall inherit everlasting glory. This he insists on (Pr 4:9):
 
  "She shall give to thy head an ornament of grace in this world, shall recommend thee both to God and man, and in the other world a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee, a crown that shall never totter, a crown of glory that shall never wither."
 
That is the true honour which attends religion.  Nobilitas sola est atique unica virtus--Virtue is the only nobility!  David having thus recommended wisdom to his son, no marvel that when God bade him ask what he would he prayed, Lord, give me a wise and an understanding heart. We should make it appear by our prayers how well we are taught.

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Pr 4:1 ¶ Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding;

Pr 4:2 For I give you good doctrine: Do not forsake my law.

Pr 4:3 When I was my father's son, Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,

Pr 4:4 He also taught me, and said to me: "Let your heart retain my words; Keep my commands, and live.

Pr 4:5 Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

Pr 4:6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you.

Pr 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.

Pr 4:8 Exalt her, and she will promote you; She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.

Pr 4:9 She will place on your head an ornament of grace; A crown of glory she will deliver to you."

Pr 4:10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And the years of your life will be many.

Pr 4:11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths.

Pr 4:12 When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, And when you run, you will not stumble.

Pr 4:13 Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; Keep her, for she is your life.

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MHCC

Exhortation to the study of wisdom. (1-13)

 1-13 We must look upon our teachers as our fathers: though instruction carry in it reproof and correction, bid it welcome. Solomon's parents loved him, therefore taught him. Wise and godly men, in every age of the world, and rank in society, agree that true wisdom consists in obedience, and is united to happiness. Get wisdom, take pains for it. Get the rule over thy corruptions; take more pains to get this than the wealth of this world. An interest in Christ's salvation is necessary. This wisdom is the one thing needful. A soul without true wisdom and grace is a dead soul. How poor, contemptible, and wretched are those, who, with all their wealth and power, die without getting understanding, without Christ, without hope, and without God! Let us give heed to the sayings of Him who has the words of eternal life. Thus our path will be plain before us: by taking, and keeping fast hold of instruction, we shall avoid being straitened or stumbling.

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MHC


Some make David's instructions to Solomon, which began Pr 4:4, to continue to the end of the chapter; nay, some continue them to the end of the ninth chapter; but it is more probable that Solomon begins here again, if not sooner. In these verses, having exhorted us to walk in the paths of wisdom, he cautions us against the path of the wicked.
 
1. We must take heed of the ways of sin and avoid them, every thing that looks like sin and leads to it.
 
2. In order to this we must keep out of the ways of sinners, and have no fellowship with them. For fear of falling into wicked courses, we must shun wicked company. Here is,
 
  I. The caution itself, Pr 4:14-15.
 
1. We must take heed of falling in with sin and sinners: Enter not into the paths of the wicked. Our teacher, having like a faithful guide shown us the right paths (Pr 4:11), here warns us of the by-paths into which we are in danger of being drawn aside. Those that have been well educated, and trained up in the way they should go, let them never turn aside into the way they should not go; let them not so much as enter into it, no, not to make trial of it, lest it prove a dangerous experiment and difficult to retreat with safety.
 
"Venture not into the company of those that are infected with the plague, no, not though thou think thyself guarded with an antidote."
 
2. If at any time we are inveigled into an evil way, we must hasten out of it.
 
"If, ere thou wast aware, thou didst enter in at the gate, because it was wide, go not on in the way of evil men. As soon as thou art made sensible of thy mistake, retire immediately, take not a step more, stay not a minute longer, in the way that certainly leads to destruction."
 
3. We must dread and detest the ways of sin and sinners, and decline them with the utmost care imaginable.
 
  "The way of evil men may seem a pleasant way and sociable, and the nearest way to the compassing of some secular end we may have in view; but it is an evil way, and will end ill, and therefore if thou love thy God and thy soul avoid it, pass not by it, that thou mayest not be tempted to enter into it; and, if thou find thyself near it, turn from it and pass away, and get as far off it as thou canst."
 
The manner of expression intimates the imminent danger we are in, the need we have of this caution, and the great importance of it, and that our watchmen are, or should be, in good earnest, in giving us warning. It intimates likewise at what a distance we should keep from sin and sinners; he does not say, Keep at a due distance, but at a great distance, the further the better; never think you can get far enough from it. Escape for thy life: look not behind thee.

cont

  II. The reasons to enforce this caution.
 
1.   "Consider the character of the men whose way thou art warned to shun."
 
They are mischievous men (Pr 4:16-17); they not only care not what hurt they do to those that stand in their way, but it is their business to do mischief, and their delight, purely for mischief- sake.  They are continually designing and endeavouring to cause some to fall, to ruin them body and soul. Wickedness and malice are in their nature, and violence is in all their actions. They are spiteful in the highest degree; for,
 
(1.) Mischief is rest and sleep to them.  As much satisfaction as a covetous man has when he has got money, an ambitious man when he has got preferment, and a good man when he has done good, so much have they when they have said or done that which is injurious and ill- natured; and they are extremely uneasy if they cannot get their envy and revenge gratified, as Haman, to whom every thing was unpleasant as long as Mordecai was unhanged. It intimates likewise how restless and unwearied they are in their mischievous pursuits; they will rather be deprived of sleep than of the pleasure of being vexatious.
 
(2.) Mischief is meat and drink to them; they feed and feast upon it.  They eat the bread of the wickedness (they eat up my people as they eat bread, Ps 14:4) and drink the wine of violence (Pr 4:17), drink iniquity like water, Job 15:16. All they eat and drink is got by rapine and oppression. Do wicked men think the time lost in which they are not doing hurt? Let good men make it as much their business and delight to do good. Amici, diem perdidi--Friends, I have lost a day.  And let all that are wise, and wish well to themselves, avoid the society of the wicked; for,
 
[1.] It is very scandalous; for there is no disposition of mind that is a greater reproach to human nature, a greater enemy to human society, a bolder defiance to God and conscience, that has more of the devil's image in it, or is more serviceable to his interests, than a delight to do mischief and to vex, and hurt, and ruin every body.
 
[2.] It is very dangerous.
 
"Shun those that delight to do mischief as thou tenderest thy own safety; for, whatever friendship they may pretend, one time or other they will do thee mischief; thou wilt ruin thyself if thou dost concur with them (Pr 1:18) and they will ruin thee if thou dost not."
 
2.  "Consider the character of the way itself which thou art warned to shun, compared with the right way which thou art invited to walk in."
 
(1.) The way of righteousness is light (Pr 4:18): The path of the just, which they have chosen, and in which they walk, is as light; the light shines on their ways (Job 22:28) and makes them both safe and pleasant. Christ is their way and he is the light. They are guided by the word of God and that is a light to their feet; they themselves are light in the Lord and they walk in the light as he is in the light.
 
[1.] It is a shining light. Their way shines to themselves in the joy and comfort of it; it shines before others in the lustre and honour of it; it shines before men, who see their good works, Mt 5:16. They go on in their way with a holy security and serenity of mind, as those that walk in the light. It is as the morning-light, which shines out of obscurity (Isa 58:8,10) and puts an end to the works of darkness.
 
[2.] It is a growing light; it shines more and more, not like the light of a meteor, which soon disappears, or that of a candle, which burns dim and burns down, but like that of the rising sun, which goes forward shining, mounts upward shining.  Grace, the guide of this way, is growing; he that has clean hands shall be stronger and stronger. That joy which is the pleasure of this way, that honour which is the brightness of it, and all that happiness which is indeed its light, shall be still increasing.
 
[3.] It will arrive, in the end, at the perfect day. The light of the dayspring will at length be noon-day light, and it is this that the enlightened soul is pressing towards.  The saints will not be perfect till they come to heaven, but there they shall themselves shine as the sun when he goes forth in his strength, Mt 13:43.  Their graces and joys shall be all consummate.  Therefore it is our wisdom to keep close to the path of the just.
 
(2.) The way of sin is as darkness, Pr 4:19. The works he had cautioned us not to have fellowship with are works of darkness.  What true pleasure and satisfaction can those have who know no pleasure and satisfaction but what they have in doing mischief?  What sure guide have those that cast God's word behind them?  The way of the wicked is dark, and therefore dangerous; for they stumble and yet know not at what they stumble. They fall into sin, but are not aware which way the temptation came by which they were overthrown, and therefore know not how to avoid it the next time. They fall into trouble, but never enquire wherefore God contends with them; they consider not that they do evil, nor what will be in the end of it, Ps 82:5; Job 18:5-6. This is the way we are directed to shun.

[airIam2worship]

Pr 4:14 ¶ Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil.

Pr 4:15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it and pass on.

Pr 4:16 For they do not sleep unless they have done evil; And their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall.

Pr 4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence.

Pr 4:18 But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.

Pr 4:19 The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know what makes them stumble.

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[airIam2worship]

MHCC

Cautions against bad company. Exhortation to faith and holiness. (14-27)


14-27 The way of evil men may seem pleasant, and the nearest way to compass some end; but it is an evil way, and will end ill; if thou love thy God and thy soul, avoid it. It is not said, Keep at a due distance, but at a great distance; never think you can get far enough from it. The way of the righteous is light; Christ is their Way, and he is the Light. The saints will not be perfect till they reach heaven, but there they shall shine as the sun in his strength. The way of sin is as darkness. The way of the wicked is dark, therefore dangerous; they fall into sin, but know not how to avoid it. They fall into trouble, but never seek to know wherefore God contends with them, nor what will be in the end of it. This is the way we are bid to shun. Attentive hearing the word of God, is a good sign of a work of grace begun in the heart, and a good means of carrying it on. There is in the word of God a proper remedy for all diseases of the soul. Keep thy heart with all diligence. We must set a strict guard upon our souls; keep our hearts from doing hurt, and getting hurt. A good reason is given; because out of it are the issues of life. Above all, we should seek from the Lord Jesus that living water, the sanctifying Spirit, issuing forth unto everlasting life. Thus we shall be enabled to put away a froward mouth and perverse lips; our eyes will be turned from beholding vanity, looking straight forward, and walking by the rule of God's word, treading in the steps of our Lord and Master. Lord, forgive the past, and enable us to follow thee more closely for the time to come.

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