Under the character of an Instructor, as a father of his children, he endeavours to gain their affection by such a tender appellation, as that of a father ad dressing his son. The sacred writer of this book having given the preface of his book, here enters upon the subject of it and that he might enforce what he bad to say still more, he begins it with an exhortation. So are the ways of everyone that is greedy of gain which taketh away the life of the owners thereof. And they lay wait for their own blood they lurk privily for their own lives. Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.
If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: Let us swallow them up alive as the grave and whole, as those that go down into the pit: We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: Cast in thy lot among us let us all have one purse: My son, walk not thou in the way with them refrain thy foot from their path: For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck. Lord, I would pray, give to him that writes, and to him that reads, a rigid understanding in all things that we may discover Christ to be both the wisdom of God and the power of God, for salvation to everyone that believeth, 1 Corinthians 1:21-24. He is the wisdom which is here spoken of, and for which the proverbs are given. And this if I do not greatly err, we shall find to be Christ. And therefore, through the whole of the proverbs, we are taught to be looking beyond the surface for the grand substance that is concealed. And I particularly beg the Reader to remark with me, that under this idea, a proverb is said to be a dark saying, intimating that there is much more in it than might at first sight be supposed. These verses seem to be designed as a preamble or general preface to the book itself. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
To know wisdom and instruction to perceive the words of understanding To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. Precious Jesus! do thou, by both Writer and Reader, while we are attending to these parables, as thou didst by thy disciples in the days of thy flesh, when we are alone with thee, do thou expound all things to us concerning thyself. And while we are reading the Proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel, recollect that our Jedidiah, our beloved of the Lord, was also the Son of David, after the flesh, and both king of Israel, and King of kings and Lord of lords. Reader! let you and study to find Christ as we go over the book of the Proverbs. But as the book itself forms a part of, the sacred scriptures, and carries With it in many parts, decided testimonies of its inspiration, we should be always upon the look out for Him, on whose account all scripture was written, and for the promotion of whose glory in the salvation a his church and people all was intended. We have here the title of the book and the name of the Author of it.
Proverbs 1:1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel A number of select maxims are given, and the object of the whale volume is set forth in shewing that it is to bring men acquainted with Gad, as the beginning and end of all wisdom. The general design of parables is here described.
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