Proverbs 7

1. My son, keep my words., and lay up my commandments with ihee. 2. Keep my commandments and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. 3. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. 4. Say unto wisdom, thou art my sister, and call understanding thy kinswoman: 5. That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger that jlattereth with her words.

. THE study of wisdom in the word of God is here commended to us with affectionate earnestness, and with a beautiful variety of imagery. Let us ponder these valuable rules for practical application.

Let the whole heart arid mind be occupied with it. Keep it as the daily means of life.2 Sir Matthew Hale told his children — ‘If I omit reading a portion of Scripture in the morning, it never goes well with me through the day.’ Lay it npB carefully, not on our shelves, but in our hearts. Let the whole word of God be our precious treasure. Receive the promises from his grace with simple affiance, and the commandments from his holiness with ready obedience. Stand with your eye in the land of promise; but with your feet in “the land of uprightness,”4

Maintain a jealous regard for the law. What care is necessary to keep the apple of the eye — that most tender part of the most tender member !5 With the same care preserve the integrity of the law. Let every part of it have its full weight. To explain it away, or to lower its requirements — breaks down the barrier, and gives an easy entrance to temptation. The sensual sinner is often a covert infidel.

Let it be at hand for constant use. Bind them upon thy fingers* — that, being always in sight, they may be always ready for the present moment. And for their practical influence — write them upon the table of thine heart. Oh! my God — this is thy Almighty work.7 But thou hast engaged “to do it for thy people.8 I “take hold of thy covenant.” Lord! seal thy promised grace.

Let it be the object of tender affection — as our sister — our kinswoman. It is her embrace, that throws the harlot’s beauty into the shade. Man must have his object of delight. If wisdom is

1 1 Cor. x. 12.

2 Chap, hi, -21, 22; iv. 4, 13; vi. 23. Comp. Isa. Iv. 2, 3, Jer. xxii. 15.

3 Chap. x. 14. Deut. xi. 18. Luke ii. 19, 51. 4 Psalm cxliii. 10.

* Deut. xxxii. 10. Psalm xvii. 8. Zech. ii. 8. 6 Chap. iii. 3. Deut. vi. 8; xi. 18. i Isa. xxvi. 12. 2 Cor. iii. 3. 8 jer. xxxi. 33.

not loved, lust will be indulged. The Bible therefore- not merely read, but made the cherished object of familiar intercourse — proves a sacred exorcist to expel the power of evil.

6. For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, 7. And beheld amono- the simple ones, 1 discerned among the youths, a young man void of under standing 8. Passing through the street near her corner: and he went the way to hei house, °9. In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: 10. And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. 11. (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: 12. Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) 13. So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, 14. / have peace* offerings with me: this day have 1 vowed my vows. 15. Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.. 16. / have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. 17. / have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 18. Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves. 19. For the good man is not at home, he is gone a long journey: 20. He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed. 21. With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. 22. He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; 23. Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knowsth not that it is for his life.

Solomon paints the deadly snare of the strange woman with a master’s hand, with exquisite fidelity of coloring. A young man without understanding* in company with youths as simple as himself, taking in the dark of evening the way to the harlot’s house. She meets him — her attire ;3 her subtilty? her loud and stubborn voice f her feet at this late hour not abiding in her house ;6 lying in wait at every corner of the street ;7 her impudent face and conduct — all shew the harlot’s forehead.8 She alluies her victim with the garb of sanctity. She had just been engaged in special religious duties. Now she was come forth to seek diligently her lover, that they might feast together upon her peace-offerings* and solace themselves with love, with every indulgence. The goodman (perhaps the name of husband might have awakened conscience) is gone a long journey till the time appointed. Meanwhile therefore we may take our fill of loves without fear of interruption. Unarmed with- principles, the weakness of resolution yields to the seduction of lust; and her unsuspecting prey rushes on to ruin.

Trace this sad end to its beginning. Was not idleness the

i Chap. ii. 10, 16; vi. 23, 24; xxiii. 26, 27. 2 Chap. i. 4, 22; xiii. 16.

3 Gen. xxxviii. 14, 15. 4 Chap, xxiii. 27. Eccl. vii. 26. Jud. xvi. 4 — 20

* Chap. ix. 13. 6 Comp. 1 Tim. v. 13. Titus ii. 5.

7 Chap. ix. 14, 15; xxiii. 28. Dr. Richardson mentions seeing ’ these wretched wo men in a large commercial town in Egypt, in the harlot’s attire, sitting at the doors of their houses, and calling on the passengers as they went by, in the same manner as we lead in the Book of Proverbs.’ — Travels, Vol. i. p. 270.

a See Gen. xxxix. 7, 12. Jer. iii. 3.

9 See Holden. Comp. Lev. vii. 16; xix. 6. Deut. xii. 6. Scott takes the same vjewadding — ’ that it is no wonder, that these sacred ordinances should have given occasion to carnal indulgence, when our Christian festivals (Christmas especially) ai abused for similar profanations.’

62 EXPOSITION OP THE BOOK OF PROVEilBS.

parent of this mischief?1 The loitering evening walk- — the unseasonable hour2 — the vacant mind — all bringing the youth into contact with evil company3 — was not this courting sin — tempting the tempter? “The house was empty,” and therefore ready for his reception, and soon altogether in his possession.4 How valuable are self-discipline, self-control, constant employment, active energy of pursuit, as preservatives under the Divine blessing from fearful danger!

See also the base varnish of religion. It is often a cover for sin.5 ‘She durst not play the harlot with man, till she had played the hypocrite with God, and stopped the mouth of her conscience with her peace-offerings.* Nay — she seems to have emboldened herself in her wickedness, as if her meeting was a happy providence, the reward of her religious services.7 Beware of any voice — from the most reverend quarter, that manifestly encourages forbidden indulgence.

Observe also the infatuation of the snare. ( Man cannot be ruined, till he has been made confident to the contrary. A man must get into his victim’s heart with fair speeches and promises, before he can come at it with a dagger.’8 Thus the harlot’s flattering speech chained the youth blindfolded for destruction. As the ox goeth to the slaughter, unconscious of his fate — perhaps dreaming of rich pasture: or as a fool goeth to the stocks,* care less and unfeeling; so does this poor deluded victim rush on with pitiable mirth or indifference, till the dart strikes through his liver.19 He hasteth as a bird to the snare,11 thinking only of the bait, and he knoweth not that it is for his life.12 What will recollection bring, but the fragrance of exciting perfume,13 changed into the bitterness of wormwood and gall; the short night of pleasure succeeded by the eternal night of infernal torment!

Lastly — mark the danger of venturing into temptation. Could we expect any other results, when we saw the youth going the way to the harlofs house?14 He intended merely his own idle gratification; and when he yielded, it was probably not without some struggle. But it is a just judgment, that those who fear not temptation, should fall into it.; Who would avoid danger, must avoid temptation to sin. Who would avoid sin, must avoid temptation to sin.’15 The force, to which the youth’s own folly subjected him, he could not plead as an excuse. WThen the first bounds of modesty are broken through, the door of the fancy is open to the tempter for the kindling of lusts. Thus to rush into the very jaws of ruin, is to “enter into temptation,” by our own will, instead of being led or falling into it, under the providential discipline and

1 2 Sam. xi. 2. 2 Judges jix. 25. Job xxiv. 15. Rom. xiii. 12, 13.

3 Chap. xiii. 20. 1 Cor. xv. 33. * Matt. xii. 44, 45.

3 1 Sam. ii. 22. 2 Sam. xv. 8 — 11. John xviii. 28. 6 Gurnal.

1 Verses 14, 15. 1 Sam. xxiii. 7. Zech. xi. 5. 8 South’s Sermons, iii. 130. Ecc. vii. 26. Judges xvi. 15. “» Hos. iv. 11, 14. Ecc. ix. 12.

2 Chap. ix. 18.” Verses 16, 17. 14 Chap. iv. 15; v. 8. Judges x«vi. 15, 15 Geier on ver. 9.

dispensation of God. Self-confidence has ruined many a promising profession. Tenderness of confidence, sensibility of weakness, dependence on Divine strength and promise — this is the frame, in which “he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.”2

24. Hearken un’o me norv, therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. 25. Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. 26. For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by hsr. 27. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

In the hand of a licentious poet, or painter, a picture like this might serve to contaminate the unsanctified imagination. But as it stands on the page of inspiration, it is God’s solemn warning to children — whether in years, understanding, or experience. Now therefore, that you have seen* the end of sin,3 hearken unto me. That you may not go astray in her paths, let not thine heart decline.* An impure thought, a polluted fancy, an idle book, filthy conversation, foolish company, theatres or places of vain resort — these are her ways. Dread the first steps, and dream not that you can stop yourself at pleasure in her course. Familiarity with sin weakens abhorrence. Soon will you begin to love the object of detestation, and what! should you find too late, that you have chosen as your home her house, which* is the way to hell, and to the chambers of death ?5 Many, not of the meaner sort, but strong men, has she cast down wounded and slain. And a mira cle is it of Almighty power and grace, that plucks the child of God from the brink of destruction!

Let not then the most established Christian dismiss this subject as of no personal concern to himself. Be it so — that “you are risen with Christ;” that you have “set your affections on things above;” that “your life is hid with Christ in God;” that you are looking for the glorious hope of his “appearing” — ft is to you — in whom “fleshly lusts are yet warring against the soul,“6 — that the exhortation is given — mortify therefore your members that are upon the earth — even the worst members of the old man — fornication, uncleanness, evil concupiscence.7 And who — with the picture of the wounded and slain before him, will revolt? — “Is thy servant a dog, that he should do this thing?8 — that he should need this warning? Look at the footsteps of the strong men who

1 Matt. xxv. 41, with iv. 1. James i. 2.

2 1 John v. 18. 3 Verses 22, 23. 4 chap. iv. 23- «. 8.

5 Chap. ii. 18; ix. 18. The plural number {the trays, Heb.) seems lo imply ‘many other ways of guilt, branching out — many other paths of ruin coinciding.’ — Hervey’s Theron and Aspasio. Letter v. Schultens insists, that the present most wretched state — full of all horror and execration — is included, so that the man who hath entered the seducer’s house may be said to have entered alive into hell, and gone down to the chamber of death. — Chap. v. 5.

6 I Peter ii. 11.

7 Col. iii. 1 — 5. A similar exhortation is given to unother flourishing Christian Church. I Thess. iv. 3 — 5.

82 Kings, viii. 13.

have gone hi. Whom do we see come out. whole? ‘Behold Kings stood not before her; how then shall we stand?”2

Nor let present steadfastness, or seclusion from temptation, blind our eyes to the liability of yielding to the vilest indulgence. The eye of God discerns a far deeper corruption than appears in the outer man — such a totality of depravation, that even the affections, designed to be the sources of our holiest delight, become the principle and occasion of the most awful departure from the ways of purity and peace.

The Gospel presents the only remedy. The love of Christ is the counteracting principle to the love of lust. ‘If impure love solicits, remember the holy love of thy Saviour to thee, proved by his most shameful death. Think of him, as looking into thy heart boiling over with corruption, shewing thee his wounds and exciting thee to a reciprocal love of himself.’3 The crucifixion of the flesh by a living union with Him “will keep us from our iniquity.”4 “How shall we, that are dead to sin. live any longer therein?”5 “The flesh will still lust against the spirit.”6 But the man, who walks with God in Gospel liberty, and Christian discipline and watchfulness, is safe.7

But if sin be not mortified by these principles, sooner or later it will break out; if not, as here, to open disgrace, — yet so as to defile the conscience, to “quench the Spirit,” and by a sure, though perhaps imperceptible course, to bring soul and body to hell — to the chambers of eternal death.9