The Roman emperors had each of them their symbol or motto, as many now have with their coat of arms. But Solomon had many weighty sayings, not, as theirs, borrowed from others, but all the product of that extraordinary wisdom which God had endued him with.
II. For what end they were written; (v. 2.··4.) not to gain a reputation to the author, or strengthen his interest among his subjects, but for the use and benefit of all that in every age and place will govern themselves by these dictates, and study them close.
This book will help us,
1. To form right notions of things, and to possess our minds with clear and distinct ideas of them; that we may know wisdom and instruction; that wisdom which is got by instruction, by divine revelation; may know both how to speak and act wisely ourselves, and to give instruction to others.
2. To distinguish between truth and falsehood, good and evil; to perceive the words of understanding; to apprehend them, to judge of them, to guard against mistakes, and to accommodate what we are taught to ourselves, and our own use, that we may discern things that differ, and not be imposed upon, and may approve things that are excellent, and not lose the benefit of them, as the apostle prays, Phil. i. 10.
3. To order our conversation aright in every thing, v. 3. This book will give, that we may receive, the instruction of wisdom, that knowledge which will guide our practice in justice, judgment, and equity, (v. 3.) which will dispose us to render to all their due, to God the things that are God's, in all the exercises of religion, and to all men what is due to them, according to the obligations which, by relation, office, contract, or upon any other account, we lie under to them. Note, Those are truly wise, and none but those, who are universally conscientious; and the design of the scripture is, to teach us that wisdom. Justice in the duties of the first table, judgment in those of the second table, and equity, that is, sincerity, in both; so some distinguish them.
III. For whose use they were written, v. 4. They are of use to all, but are designed especially, 1. For the simple, to give subtilty to them. The instructions here given are plain and easy, and level to the meanest capacity; the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein; and those are likely to receive benefit by them who are sensible of their own ignorance, and their need to be taught, and are therefore desirous to receive instruction; and those who receive those instructions, in their light and power, though they be simple, will hereby be made subtle, graciously crafty to know the sin they should avoid, and the duty they should do, and to escape the tempter's wiles. He that is harmless as the dove, by observing Solomon's rules, may become wise as the serpent; and he that has been sinfully foolish, when he begins to govern himself by the word of God, becomes graciously wise. 2. For young people, to give them knowledge and discretion. Youth is the learning age, catches at instructions, receives impressions, and retains what is then received; it is therefore of great consequence that the mind be then seasoned well, nor can it receive a better tincture than from Solomon's proverbs. Youth is rash, and heady, and inconsiderate: man is born like the wild ass's colt; and therefore needs to be broken by the restraints, and managed by the rules, we find here. And if young people will but take heed to their ways, according to Solomon's proverbs, they will soon gain the knowledge and discretion of the ancients. Solomon had an eye to posterity in writing this book, hoping by it to season the minds of the rising generation with the generous principles of wisdom and virtue.
IV. What good use may be made of them, v. 5, 6. Those who are young and simple may by them be made wise, and are not excluded from Solomon's school, as they were from Plato's. But is it only for such? No; here is not only milk for babes, but strong meat for strong men. This book will not only make the foolish and bad wise and good, but the wise and good wiser and better; and though the simple and the young man may perhaps slight those instructions, and not be the better for them, yet the wise man will hear; wisdom will be justified by her own children, though not by the children sitting in the market-place. Note, Even wise men must hear, and not think themselves too wise to learn. A wise man is sensible of his own defects, (Plurima ignoro, sed ignorantiam meam non ignoro—I am ignorant of many things, but not of my own ignorance,) and therefore is still pressing forward, that he may increase in learning, may know more, and know it better, more clearly and distinctly, and may know better how to make use of it. As long as we live, we should strive to increase in all useful learning. It was a saying of one of the greatest of the rabbins, Qui non auget scientiam, amittit de ea—If our stock of knowledge be not increasing, it is wasting; and they that would increase in learning must study the scriptures; those perfect the man of God.
A wise man, by increasing in learning, is not only profitable to himself, but to others also.
1. As a counsellor. A man of understanding in these precepts of wisdom, by comparing them with one another, and with his own observations, shall by degrees attain unto wise counsels, he stands fair for preferment, and will be consulted as an oracle, and intrusted with the conduct of public affairs; he shall come to sit at the helm, so the word signifies. Note, Industry is the way to honour; and those whom God has blessed with wisdom must study to do good with it, according as their sphere is. It is more dignity, indeed, to be counsellor to the prince, but it is more charity to be counsellor to the poor, as Job was with his wisdom, (Job xxix. 15.) I was eyes to the blind.
2. As an interpreter; (v. 6.) to understand a proverb. Solomon was himself famous for expounding riddles, and resolving hard questions, which was, of old, the celebrated entertainment of the eastern princes; witness the solutions he gave to the knots with which the queen of Sheba thought to puzzle him. Now, here he undertakes to furnish his readers with that talent, as far as would be serviceable to the best purposes. They shall understand a proverb, even the interpretation, without which the proverb is a nut uncracked; when they hear a wise saying, though it be figurative, they shall take the sense of it, and know how to make use of it. The words of the wise are sometimes dark sayings. In St. Paul's epistles there was that which was hard to be understood; but to those who, being well versed in the scriptures, know how to compare spiritual things with spiritual, they will be easy and safe. So that, if you ask them, Have ye understood all these things? they may answer, Yea, Lord. Note, It is a credit to religion, when men of honesty are men of sense; all good people, therefore, should aim to be intelligent, and run to and fro, take pains in the use of means, that their knowledge may be increased.
7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. 8. My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: 9. For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
Solomon, having undertaken to teach a young man knowledge and discretion, here lays down two gene-
