|HcIj0rs Series 0f C^mnictttaries. PETER MUFFET ON PROVERBS; JOHN COTTON ON ECCLESIASTES, AND UN THE CANTICLES; OR, SONG OF SOLOMON. COUNCIL Of PUBLICATION. W. LINDSAY ALEXANDEE, D.D., Professor of Theology, Congregational Union, Edinburgh. JAMES BEGG, D.D., Minister of Newington Free Church, Edinburgh. THOMAS J. CRAWFORD, D.D., S.T.P., Professor of Divinity, University, Edinburgh. D. T. K. DRUMMOND, M.A., Minister of St Thomas's Episcopal Church, Edinburgh. WILLIAM H. GOOLD, D.D., Professor of Biblical Literature and Church History, Reformed Presbyterian Church, Edinburgh. ANDREW THOMSON, D.D., Minister of Broughton Place United Presbyterian Church, Edinburgh. THOMAS SMITH, D.D., Edinburgh. A COMMENTARY WHOLE BOOK OF PROVERBS. PETER MUFFET. EDINBURGH: JAMES NICHOL. LONDON: JAMES NISBET & GO-. DUBLIN; G HERBERT JI.DCCC.LXYIir. [We have not been able to obtain any information regarding tlie author of this exceedingly rare Commentary. He was an old man in 1594, when the second edition of it was pub- lished. He must, therefore, have been one of the Elizabethan divines. His name does not appear either in the Athena or Fasii Oxonienses, or in the A thence Ccmtabrigienses, in Tanner's Bibliotheca, or in Fuller's Church History. His " Commentary on the Proverbs " appears to have been his only published work. It will be found to be sound and judicious, and well worthy of a place in this series. — Ed.] It TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD, THE LORD EDWARD, EARL OF BEDFORD, GRACE AND PEACE BE MULTIPLIED. THE former edition of m}- Coimneutary upon the Proverbs of Solomon, Riglit Honourable Earl, was not only by your honour favourably received, but by divers godly Christians right well accepted. Nevertheless, it seemed unto some of my friends to be somewhat too brief. The former imj)ression be- ing sold, they desired me to think upon a second edition, and therein to handle matters somewhat more amply. Wherefore, according to their desire, although mine encumbrances and infirmities have been of late exceeding many and great, yet have I the second time travailed with my work again, and now published a larger and fuller exposition than that was which went before ; yea, and added a table and another short treatise to the former. If yet either in regard of largeness or plainness of writing (which I see to be a thing necessary, and which I more respect than before I have done) I shall scant satisfy all, I would pray them to impute it to my want of leisure, the true and only hindrance thereof. If there be escapes in the words or in the points and distinctions of any sentences, this could not by me be remedied, by reason of mine absence from the press. If any hereafter of those who best can do it shall set forth some perfect exposition upon the holy Proverbs, (which to do is a work of infinite labour,) it shall be the gain of the church, and the thing that I desire. In the mean season. Most Honourable Earl, I dedicate once again this my Commentary unto your Honour, desiring you with wonted favour to receive it, and to bend your eyes to look into it. Hoping that you will so do, and wishing all pros- perity, as unto yourself, so to all of your most noble stock, whereunto I am deeply bound, I reverently commend your honour to Almighty God. Your Honour's at commandment, P. M. A COMMENTARY BOOK OF THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. CHAPTER. I. VEE. 1. The p-ffierls of Solomon the son of David king of Israel. Two things are contained in this first verse : the one, the matter of this whole book, in this word p-overhs ; tlie other, the author thereof, in these titles of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel. Proverbs are certain general, short, and pithy say- ings, used, or to be used, in every man's mouth. Albeit sundry parables are set down in the writings of the prophets, the evangelists, and the apostles ; yet this book only of the Scripture is entitled by the name of Proverbs, because in it alone proverbial sentences are continued without ceasing or intermis- sion, and without mingling of stories or prayers, or other matters therewithal. For in this little volume a great heap of grave and most prudent sayings is so nearly couched and so briefly comprised, as that proverbs, like drifts of snow, seem to lie thick together, and, lilce grapes of the same bunch, to cluster one upon another. As concerning the methods of this book, neither are the proverbs thereof so confusedly shuffled, but that some of them, now and then, have affinity and coherence together ; nor yet so suitably sorted, but that even those often- times which are placed as neighbours very nearly, differ far in matter asunder, and have no dependence upon one another. But, letting pass the order of these divine parables, we are rather to consider the author or utterer thereof, who is affirmed to have been Solomon. Solomon, in the Hebrew language, doth signify peaceable, which name even the Lord himself did give unto the author of this book, 1 Chron. xxii. 9, because in his days, after long wars, he purposed to grant such peace unto the Israelites as that they might safely and securely sit under their vines and under their fig-trees. Now as the very name of Solomon, which signifieth peace, is sweet, so his stock was honourable, seeing he was a flourishing branch or bud, as it were, of David, whose son he is affirmed to have been. It is the manner of the Hebrew writers, when they mention any person, for distinction's sake to set do^\^l not only his own proper name, but his father's. But whereas Solomon here is called David's son, it seemeth to me that his father's name is expressed, not only for distinction, but for honour's sake. Never- theless, whereas David had divers children, this title of being his son was no such special or singular pre- rogative, but that it did agree in common as well to Absalom, or Adonijah, or the other sons of David, as to Solomon. Wherefore, to the end that Solomon might be known from all other by the garland upon his head, and declared to be more honourable than his brethren by his sceptre in his hand, he is shewed MUFFET ON' PROVERBS. [Chap. I. to have been king of Israel — of Israel I say, the chosen people of God, among whom only in those days was the visible church. Ver. 2. To knoiv wisdom and instncdion, and to understand the words oj prudence. In this second verse two ends or uses of the parables of this book are noted unto us. The for- mer end is the knovidng of wisdom and instruction. Wisdom is an effectual knowledge of things which are to be believed or practised, wrought by the light of God's word and Spirit clearing and directing the mind and understanding. As concerning instruc- tion, it is a virtue consisting in the right using of wisdom, whereby, through the Lord's working and schooling, the heart and life of men is refoimed. The second use of these parables is to understand the words of prudence, (or skilful speeches.) These words of prudence are those holy doctrines or di-vine instruc- tions whereby a man may reform that which is amiss in hhn, and govern himself axight in the whole course of his life. For wherewithal shall a young man, yea, any man, redress his way, but by ruling himself after the word of God, every sentence whereof is, as it were, a straight line leading to repentance, but espe- cially the sentences of this excellent book? Ver. 3. To receive the instruction of understanding, of justice, of judgment, and of all eqidtij, (or righteous- ness.) Herein divers parcels of instruction, mentioned in the former verse, are specified. First, These parables serve unto the renewing and lightening of the mind, which here is meant by understanding. Secondly, They teach justice, whereby is given to every one that which is his due. Thirdly, They teach also judgment, whereby the straight rule of God's word and his exact law is in every point and action observed. Finally, They teach all equity, whereby ' whatsoever things are true, whatsoever comely, whatsoever just, whatsoever holy, whatso- ever acceptable, whatsoever of good report, of any praise or any virtue, are thought on, practised, and followed after,' PhiL iv. 8. Ver. 4. To give unto the simple sharpness of wit, (or wariness,) and to the child knowledge and discretion, (or wittines.s.) Tliat wisdom which Avas spokon of him in the second verse, is now in tlii.s divided into certain branches, as, namely, into shai-pness of wit, know- ledge, and discretion. The simple, by whom they are understood who are rude and heedless in their dealing, shall by the parables of this book attain unto sharpness of ^Y^.t or wariness, — that is to say, not only a quick conceit, or good capacity, but a forecast in foreseeing of dangers, and preventing of harms. For these proverbs have the nature and effect of the whole word of God, whereof they are a part, which, as the prophet David affirmeth, giveth wisdom unto the simple. Again, that chUd, or childish person, who wanteth experience or staid- ness, or who is a novice, as it were, in understand- ing, shall by learning the divine sentences written in this book, not only come unto knowledge, or a perceiving of truth and error, but unto discretion, or soundness in judgment, and staidness in affection. For as the fountain of the whole word of God maketh those that are exercised therein, Ps. cxix. 99, more learned than their teachers, and more prudent than their elders ; so these sacred pro- verbs, as rivers flovsdng therefrom, have the same sovereign virtue, and work the self-same wholesome effect. Ver. 5. A wise man shall hear, and increase in learning ; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels. Herein is further declared that the sentences of this book will be profitable, not only to the un- learned, but to the learned. The wise man, or he who already hath some good knowledge in spiritual and holy things, shall by the help of these parables see into divine mysteries more fully than ever he did. Again, a man of understanding, or a profound clerk, who is singularly well seen in the Scriptures, shall by these proverbs be more furnished than ever he was with skill and cunning. Ver. 6. 2'o teach (or to understand) a parable and an eloquent speech ; the words of the tvise, and their dark sayings. Solomon now declareth herein what he meaneth by the words of prudence mentioned in the second verse of this chapter, for they are by him divided into four kinds : first, A parable, or a common pro- verb ; secondly. An eloquent speech, or a fine de- scription of a matter ; thirdly, The words of the wise, or choice terms full of art and learning ; last Ver. 7-9 ] MUFFET ON PROVERBS. of all, Tlieir dai'k sayings, or hard and obscure riddles, which shadow or cover some secret meaning. Tiie prophet Habakkuk, chap. ii. 6, describing in his prophecy the unsatiable covetousness of the Baby- lonians, who had preyed upon all the nations of the world, doth threaten those greedy cormorants, that the people whom they had devoured should take up against them a parable, an eloquent speech, and dark sayings ; by which place of Scripture it ap- peareth that three of these words do differ one from the other, albeit not simply, yet at the least in some respect. Now besides these three sorts of choice and picked sentences, this our author in the book of the preacher, Eccles. xii. 11, maketh mention of the words of the wise, which he affirmeth to be as goads, and as nails that are fastened. Whereby it is further manifest, that even those four terms, to vnt, a parable, an eloquent speech, the words of the wise and their dark sayings, are to be distinguished the one from the other. But howsoever it is, (not to stand too curiously on the scanning of the difference of words,) it is evident that the fruit of this book will be exceeding great, seeing the diligent reader or hearer thereof shall thereby be enabled to pierce into the meaning of most excellent instructions, which are able to build up a man in faith and obedi- ence. Ver. 7. The fear of God is the beginning of know- ledge : (but) wisdom and instruction fools despise. Solomon having declared the use of this book, sheweth now the sum or chief point of the matter therein contained, and laboureth to stir up every one to hearken diligently to the particular precepts thereof The word of God, which teacheth and engendereth a reverent awe of the Lord, is here (as elsewhere in the Scripture, Ps. xix. 9) called the fear of God. It is said to be the beginning of knowledge, because no art or doctrine, saving this only, can bring a man to eternal life. For this cause Moses speaketh thus to the children of Israel in the book of Deuteronomy, chap. iv. 6, ' You shall keep and do these statutes ; for this is your wisdom and your prudence, before the eyes of the people, who hearing all these statutes will say, only this great nation is a wise and understanding people.' Never- theless, howsoever indeed the doctrine of God's word is the flower of all knowledge which is in the world : ' yet (as is added in the latter part of this verse) wisdom and instruction fools despise ; ' for they neglect and refuse wise counsel given them concerning the choosing of that which is good, and reject all warning whereby they are admonished to shun that which is evil. Ver. 8. My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake thou not the doctrine of thy mother. Ver. 9. For they sliall he a comely ornament unto thine head, and a chain unto thy neck. After that Solomon hath declared what is the chief point of knowledge, he cometh now to ex- hort children to obey and regard the admonitions of their parents, whereby they may most readily attain unto true wisdom. He most lovingly calleth every one to whom he speaketh his son, to shew that with a fatherly affection he desireth aiid seeketh the salvation of all. Furthermore, saith he, hear the instruction of thy father ; as if he should have said, Inasmuch as instruction is the means whereby wisdom is attained, for none is born wise, children are before all things to hearken unto counsel, but especially to the advice of their parents, as those who most naturally tender, and most heartily wish, their welfare and well-doing. But it is the part of children, not only to hearken to the advice of their fathers and mothers, but not to forsake the same, either for the seducing of sinners, or for any other cause whatsoever. For if that which is planted by the father or mother be rooted out by Satan or his instruments, or if that which is received by hearing is not retained in a good conscience, or a constant heart, unto the end, all is to no purpose. Now, to the end that children may be brought to regard and keep their parents' admonitions, Solomon in the next verse declareth the fruit which they shall reap by their obedience. ' For,' saith he, ' they shall be a comely ornament unto thine head, and a chain unto thy neck' — that is to say, as jewels and gay apparel greatly adorn and set out those that there- with are arrayed and decked, so thy parents' in- structions, by thee obeyed, shall grace and beautify thine heart and life in such sort as that thou shalt seem amiable both unto God and man. For by the outward ornaments of comely attire, and of a chain, long life, a good name, honour, wealth, the favour of good men, and of God himself, yea^ eternal glory MUFFET ON PROVERBS. [Chap. I. and happiness, are shadowed out, ivhereunto obedi- ent children attain, partly in this world, partly in the world to come. Ter. 10. My son, if sinners entice thee, consent tliou not. As parents are to be heard, so seducers are to be avoided, by whom great danger ariseth, especially to those that are young, who are not only void of experience, but naturally prone unto evil ; for such as go about to seduce are wont to draw youth from those good things which they have been taught at home. Wherefore, after that children have been ex- horted in the former verses to honour theii- parents, they are now very fitly dissuaded from following of e\'il company and wicked counsel. Indeed all men are transgressors of the laws of almighty God ; but l)y the name of sinners in this place, notorious oftenders, as, for example, thieves and robbers, are understood. If then, saith the wise king, either any in general, that are set on mischief, or such in particular, as use to lie in wait for a purse by the highways, entice or allm-e thee by flattering speeches or fair promises, consent thou not ; yield not to their temptations, but resist them. There is no admonition more needful for youth than this, yea, it is very necessary even for those children who are best disposed, unto whom oftentimes it faUeth out that albeit they have been well brought up by their parents from the cradle, or are well in- cUned of their own natural disposition, yet, if at any time they hght into the company or acquaintance of lewd persons, they are led aside to do that wliich is evil, and to commit all manner of wickedness. Many a good man's son hath been cast away at this rock, for the which cause it is the more carefully to be shunned, especially when the Spirit of God, by the pen of the wisest instructor that ever wrote, giveth warning thereof. Ver. \\. If they shall say. Come with us, let us lie in wail for blood, let us freely hide ourselves against the innocent : Ver. 12. We shall swallow them up alive as the grave ; and whole, as they that go down into the pit : Ver. 13. We shallfind all precious substance, {a.nd) fill our houses with spoils. Ver. 14. Thoxi shall cast thy lot amongst vs ; there shall he one purse amongst ns all. Ver. 15. My son, walk not in the same icay with them ; draw buck thy foot from their path. Solomon, in the person of a careful father, coun- selleth the young man herein to take heed of being seduced by the enticing speeches and allurements of those who make no conscience to steal or rob by the highway. To this end he first bringeth in these thieves or robbers, making, as it were, an oration to the simple young man ; secondly. In the last of these verses, he exhorteth him, though he hear their words, not to follow their deeds, not to enter into their company : ' If they shall say, Come with us, let us he in wait for blood, let us freely hide ourselves against the innocent : we shall swallow them up alive as the grave, and whole, as they that go down into the pit,' &c. In these verses the robbers, pre- senting the objection of danger wMch the young man might make, declare unto him the course which they mean to take in spoiling travellers of their goods and Uves. They tell him, first of all, that they will n6t openly murder the passenger, but lurk in some bush or corner for such an intent, so that, carry- ing the matter closely, they shall never be called into question. Thus, by breeding in him hope of Ijang lud or escaping punishment, they go about to draw him into their league, and to make him one of their devilish fraternity. Secondly, They shew how sure they are to meet with the prey, aflBrming that inas- much as they are many and mighty, they will un- doubtedly take the passengers and hold them fast enough for making hue and cry after them ; for they compare themselves to the grave and pit, which consume and enclose those persons or things which are put or fall thereinto. Wherefore the thieves very arrogantly boast that they will bind and spoil those that travel by the highway, swallowng them, though they be not dead but alive, and devouring them, albeit they neither are wounded nor lame, but sound of their limbs : 'We shall get all precious sub- stance ; we shall fill our houses with spoils ; thou shalt cast thy lot amongst us ; there shall be one purse amongst us aU,' &c. In these speeches profit is propounded as a lure to draw the young man to theft and murder. The sense of the former of these two verses is, that by the course before spoken of, a rich booty, and great store of money, of jewels, and suchlike treasures, may be attained, and shall cer- Ver. 16-19.] MUFFET ON PROVERBS. tainly be gotten. In tlie 'fourteeutli verse an objec- tion is presented wliicli the young man may make, who may think or say that peradventure he shall take as much pains as other, but find less gains than they, seeing it is to be feared that such as are his masters in this trade, and captains in mischief, %vill challenge the greatest part unto themselves, or deal unjustly and unequally -ivith him. Unto tliis doubt and secret objection the enticing robbers answer to this effect : Albeit we, young man, who persuade thee to join with us in taking a purse, as captains or masters in this craft, may, by a kind of right, chal- lenge to ourselves the greater part of the spoils ; yet when we come to divide it we will suffer thee to cast in thy lot amongst us, that thereby thou mayest draw out such a portion as it shall give or assign thee, be it never so great a one. Now to this end, mates and fellows all, let every one of us bring that which we shall take from the travellers unto one common bag, out of which it being afterward drawn, shall by lot be parted amongst us aL ' My son, walk not in the same way with them ; draw back thy foot from their path.' Wliereas the robbers in the beginning of their oration said to the young man, ' Come with us;' the wise father here chargeth thee quite contrary, saying, 'Walk not in the same way with them.' The eifect of Solomon's admonition is, that the young man is not in any case to keep these seducers com- pany, but rather to renounce their acquaintance, and to have no lilting of them nor dealing with them. Ver. 16. For with their feet they run unto mischief, and make haste to shed blood. See Isa. Hx. 7. The wise father in this verse dissuadeth his son from the company of wicked robbers, by a reason taken from the mischievousness of their minds, which he layeth open. When he saith that ' -with their feet they run into mischief,' he declareth unto the young man, that as thieves and robbers go about to enrich themselves, so they do not this without the harming of others, whom they spoil of their goods, and put in fear of their lives. Nay, that which is more, and which nature most abhorreth, they ' make haste to shed blood,' and foreslow no time to commit murder. Who would not now avoid the company of such detestable villanies, who not only themselves commit that crime, but counsel others thereunto? which causeth the earth to cry for vengeance ; which the magistrate is, according to God's commandment, to punish with death without shewing mercy ; and, to conclude, which nature it- self doth detest above all other. Ver. 1 7. Because the net is sirread in vain before the eyes of every foiul. Ver. IS. Therefore they lie in wait fm- their blood; they hide themselves pivily fm' their lives. Ver. 19. Such are the ways of every one who is greedy of gain; lie would take away the life of the mvners thereof. In these his last speeches the gocUy father dis- co vereth unto his son the reason why the robbers will not openly be seen, but lurk in corners. He resembleth them not only to fowlers, but to cunning and skilful fowlers, who are careful in laiding their trains and nets, that they may not be espied of the birds : ' For the net is spread in vain before the eyes of every fowl' A heathen poet observed thus much, and could say, ' From nets, the which too open lie, The wary bird away doth fly.' Now if the fowls of the air have this wit by the instinct of nature, to fear and shun the snares which they suspect and perceive, much more then have men this reason and understanding to prevent open mischiefs, and to escape manifest dangers. Hence then it cometh to pass, that even as bird-catchers are wont to use secret net-laying, because if they should openly spread their snares or gins in the sight of the wily fowls, their labour should be in vain ; so crafty money-catchers and thieves do there- fore lurk in corners for blood, because otherwise, if they should be seen, they should easily be avoided, and frustrated of their jDurpose. This comparison of hunting is not only used here in this sense, but in other places of the Scripture. For the prophet Micah, complaining of the general corruption of all sorts of people in his time, speaketh thus : ' All that are, lie in wait for blood ; every one hunteth his neighbour with a net,' Micah vii. 2. In this land of hunting (if with the best writers I am not deceived) was Nimrod mighty before the Lord. Of such hunters and fowlers Jeremiah complaineth also, when he saith, ' Mine enemies do even hunt me as a bird undeservedly ; they cast my life into the pit, and fling stones at me,' Lam. iii. 52, 53. Wherefore, JIUFFET OX PROVEI;BS. [Chap. I. as it followetb, ' Such are the -ways of every one who is gi'eedy of gain ; he would take away the life of the owners thereof.' Wherein, as I take it, (neither only I, but some writers of singular good judg- ment,) the application of the foiTner similitude is contained. The sum of this speech is, that such is the course of all such covetous robbers, that they are ready to take away a man's life to have his goods. For whereas they know they cannot lie liid, nor take away the rich man's goods, if they let him escape with his life ; they must for their own safetj', and for the obtaining of the prey, as it were even of necessity, shed his blood. Ver. 20. Wisdom cridh icithout ; she lifteth up her mice in the streets : Ver. 21. She calleth on the top of the assemblies ; she uitereih her voice at the entries of the gates in every city, (saying. ) After that Solomon hath brought in a godly father warning and instructing his sons, now he raiseth up, as it were, a matron or queen-mother provoking her children unto virtue. Because he speaketh of perfect wisdom, which excelleth in the highest degree, therefore in the original text he calleth her tvisdovis in the plural number, according to the Hebrew phrase. Indeed there is but one wisdom in reg;ird of the author and fountain of all knowledge, who is Jesus Christ, the personal Wisdom of his Father ; but in regard of the means and instru- ments which this eternal Wisdom useth to lighten men by, wisdom is manifold, and as it were several ■wisdoms are in sundry places, even in the fields, in the streets, in the churches, in the judgment seats of the city, for what corner or country is there wherein the light of truth shineth not, or is not levealed either by God's messengers, creatures, operations, or inspirations 1 But whereas it skilleth much after what manner speeches are delivered, it is worthy the observing, that these wisdoms well seen in musical harmony, or muses so full of heavenly wisdom, are said to cry and to lift up their voices. For do they publish the will of God unto us after the manner of criers, who make proclamation 1 do they lift up their voices as trumpets, to tell us of our transgressions 1 do they utter their words after the manner of orators, to persuade us unto the practice