EXPOSITION

 

                                         OF THE

 

             BOOK OF PROVERBS.

 

 

 

 

                                                BY THE LATE

 

            REV. GEORGE LAWSON, D. D.

               PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY TO THE ASSOCIATE SYNOD,

                                                     SELKIRK.

 

 

                                               IN TWO VOLUMES.

                                                          VOL. 2.

 

 

 

 

 

                       EDINBURGH:

 

                                                     PRINTED FOR

                            DAVID BROWN, NO. 6. ST ANDREW'S STREET,

                     W. OLIPIIANT, AND F. PILLANS, EDINBURGH; M. OGLE,

                            GLASGOW; OGLE, DUNCAN & CO. AND

                                                J. NISBET, LONDON.

                                                                1821.

CHAP. XIX]          BOOK OF PROVERBS                 457

 

 

                   Proverbs 19

 

            Ver. 1. Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity,

than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

            So depraved are the understandings of men, that the

rich are generally honoured for their wealth, although

their conversation shews them to be destitute of any

valuable quality; whilst the poor are despised, though

they are adorned with the beauties of religion. To

give an outward respect to the rich, according to the

innocent fashions of the place where we live, is not a

sin; for if providence make a distinction, we may do

it likewise, between the rich and the poor; but it is a

sign of great corruption in our minds, to value the rich

as if they were worthier men, and more deserving of

our esteem and affection than the poor, when grace

hath made a plain difference in favour of the poor, of a

kind infinitely more important than the outward gifts

of providence ever made. The bad effects of this un-

just preference are severely censured by James, in the

first half of the second chapter of his epistle.

            We ought undoubtedly to follow God, in the judg-

458                  EXPOSITION OF THE                  [CHAP. XIX.

 

ment which he gives of things and persons, as far as

that judgment is revealed; and we find that he sets no

value upon riches. He bestows them oftentimes on

those whom he abhors, and denies them to his favour-

ites. But the upright, however poor, are his delight.

He glories in Job as a perfect and upright man, and

he still bestows higher commendations on him, af-

ter he was stripped of all his substance, because he had

given additional proof of his stedfast integrity *.

            When Christ was on earth, he was a poor man that

walked in his integrity, and surely the lovers of Christ

will never value a man the less, because he is as Christ

also was in the world. In short, the upright man, how-

ever poor and mean, is not only a man of better dispo-

sitions and behaviour than the rich sinner, but he is

also incomparably happier and richer, and shall be rich

as long as God himself is rich.

            Be satisfied and thankful, ye that are taught by the

Spirit of God, to walk in your integrity. You are rich

in faith, and heirs of the kingdom; and in this world

you have and shall have every thing that infinite wis-

dom and love sees fit for you †.

            Here the poor may see a certain method of being

rich, or of obtaining what is far better than riches.

Labour not to be rich in gold and silver, but seek after

that which Christ calls the true riches, and which he

will dispense unto those that seek them in his appoint-

ed way‡.

            Let not the rich man glory in his wealth: if he is

perverse in his lips, he is poor and miserable, and blind,

and naked; and the esteem of men will not counter-

balance the abhorrence of God ||. Go to Christ under

deep impressions of your poverty, and buy of him

gold tried in the fire, and you shall be truly rich.

 

*Job 1,2         † l Cor 3:21,22          ‡ John 6:27, Matt. 6:33

|| Ps. 10:4

CHAP. XIX]          BOOK OF PROVERBS                 459

 

            Ver. 2. Also that the soul be without knowledge, it is

not good; and he that hasteth with his feet, sinneth.

            The want of that knowledge which we need for our

direction through life, is very pernicious; for we are

in a dangerous world, full of pits and snares; and the

man that has not eyes in his head, must fall, sooner or

later, into destruction. When the blind are led by the

blind, they cannot well avoid falling into the ditch.

But blind sinners are led by a quick-sighted and crafty

devil, who will certainly land them in perdition *.

            Although we have knowledge in our heads, it will

not profit us, unless we have it also in our hearts.

Knowledge, when it is not loved and reduced into prac-

tice, will serve only to bear testimony for God against

the abuser of light, and to heighten his condemnation.

A man of much knowledge, and a bad practice, carries

about him, like Uriah, that which will prove his own

death.

            To want knowledge, is not good: to have know-

ledge, and not to use it as the directory of our life, can-

not be one jot better; and he that hasteth with his feet,

and takes no heed to his way, sinneth.

            It is no sin, but a duty, to run in the way of God's

commandments; and it was an evidence of David's

wisdom, that he made haste, and delayed not to run out

of the paths of sin, when he considered whither they

would lead him; but to run on, without consideration,

whithersoever our fancy or our passions lead us, expo-

ses us to much sin and danger; and therefore we are

commanded to walk circumspectly, keeping our eye

upon the ground we tread, that it may not be slippery,

and observing the rule of duty, that we may not trans-

gress it. Even in those businesses that are lawful, we

will be drawn into sin, without circumspection; for the

devil has snares spread for us everywhere in this evil

 

*Eph. 2:3

460                  EXPOSITION OF THE                  [CHAP. XIX.

 

world, and he that makes haste to be rich, shall not be

innocent.

            Although we ought to run in the ways of the Lord,

and not faint, yet rashness in our religious course will be

attended with much sin. We must carry the lamp of

truth with us, otherwise, by running in the dark, we

will certainly stumble*.

            As rashness and inconsideration are sinful, so they

are the causes of a great deal of the sin that is in the

world. Men would not choose, or at least they would

not so resolutely keep the ways of iniquity, were it not

that they want knowledge and thought, as Isaiah clear-

ly shews in the case of idolaters †.

            Ver. 3. The foolishness of man perverteth his way, and

his heart fretteth against the Lord.

            Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempt-

ed by God:  God tempts no man, but every man is

tempted when he is seduced into evil by the blindness

of his own mind, and the perverseness of his own heart.

The world and the devil may indeed persuade us to

sin, but none of them can force us. When a man sins,

he does more mischief to himself than all the legions of

hell can do to him; and therefore, whenever our way

is perverted, we must chiefly blame ourselves. It would

be blasphemy to charge the most holy God with our

sins, and it is folly to transfer the fault unto our sedu-

cers; for if our enemy should persuade us to stab our-

selves to the heart, it is our own madness to comply.

            When our way is perverted, we soon feel the miser-

able consequences of our folly; for wretchedness, in

one form or other, follows sin, as the shadow follows

the body:  but we are so loath to blame ourselves for the

consequences of our own folly, that our hearts will ra-

ther fret against the Lord, as if he were the cause of

our ruin. Adam laid the blame of his fall upon the

woman, whom God gave to be with him, indirectly

 

*Chap. 4:12   † Isa. 44:19,20

CHAP. XIX]          BOOK OF PROVERBS                 461

 

transferring his own folly to his Maker; and it is na-

tural and common for men to follow the example of

their common parent. This corrupt disposition is not

entirely rooted out of the saints themselves. It was

David's fault that he did not cause the ark to be car-

ried in the proper manner from the house of Obed-

edom; and yet when God made a breach upon the peo-

ple on that account, David was displeased.

            Men are oftener guilty of this sin than they imagine.

Our hearts fret against the Lord, by fretting at the mi-

nisters and instruments of his providence; and there-

fore, when the people murmured against Moses in the

wilderness, he tells them that their murmuring was not

against him and his brother Aaron, but against the

Lord. David would not fret against Shimei, because

he looked upon him as an instrument employed by God

for his correction.

            Instead of fretting, it is our duty to accept of the

punishment of our iniquity, and to bless God that mat-

ters are not so bad with us as we deserve; for where-

fore should a living man complain, when the damned

have no just reason to do it?  If our troubles come up-

on us without any particular reason from our own con-

duct, yet reflections upon God would be very unjust.

Job's troubles were extremely grievous, and they came

upon him without cause in himself, as God testifies,

Job ii. yet he was made humbly to acknowledge his

great folly in reflecting upon God for his distresses, be-

fore his captivity was turned back.

            Ver. 4. Wealth maketh many friends, but the poor is

separated from his neighbour.

            God commands us to love our neighbours as our-

selves, whether rich or poor, and to shew a peculiar

tenderness to the poor on account of their destitute cir-

cumstances; but such is the depraved disposition of

462                  EXPOSITION OF THE                  [CHAP. XIX.

 

men, that the rich have many friends, but the poor man

is not known by him that lives at the next door.

            The rich have many temptations to high-mindedness,

and this is one of them: that they meet with a great

deal of respect, and every person professes friendship

to them, and they naturally think that they are pos-

sessed of many good qualities, which draw to them the

esteem of mankind; but they ought to consider, that

money answers all things, and is one of the chief attrac-

tives of esteem in the world. Let them throw away

their money, and those that once made their court to

them will leave them, as quickly as the eagles leave a

field of battle when the carcases are all devoured. Job

was the most respected man in the east, when he was

the richest; but when he was spoiled of his wealth,

he that had been as the tabret of the people, became

their byeword. Jerusalem, in her prosperity, was the

princess among the provinces, but in the day of her

calamity all her friends dealt treacherously with her,

and became her enemies. A very ordinary virtue in an

ordinary man, is a shining virtue in a man of fortune;

but if he should become poor, all the lustre of his great

qualities is entirely gone.

            When the poor man is separated from his neighbour,

let him remember and imitate the apostle of the Gen-

tiles, who was often reduced to poverty and hunger.

Paul laid very little stress on good report or had report,

for he knew that none of these things, nor any thing

else, could separate him from the love of Christ *.

            Ver. 5. A false witness shall not be unpunished, and

he that speaketh lies shall not escape.

            A false witness does one of the greatest injuries to

his neighbour, and one of the greatest possible disho-

nours to God. He breaks at once the two great com-

mandments, of loving God, and loving his brother, and

 

*See chap. 14:20

CHAP. XIX]          BOOK OF PROVERBS                 463

 

therefore deserves severe punishment*. But if he

escape punishment from the magistrate, he shall be

punished by God with the loss of credit, and other mi-

series, in this life, or at least, with an eternal punish-

ment hereafter; for those that bear false witness against

their neighbours are an abomination to the Lord, and

how is it possible for them to escape†?

            Liars are here classed with them that bear false wit-

ness, for they are so much alike, that the ninth com-

mandment, which directly forbids the bearing of false

witness, does also, by good interpretation, forbid what-

soever is prejudicial to truth; and those that can allow

themselves to tell lies in common conversation, will, in

all probability, bear false witness, and confirm it by an

appeal to heaven, when they have a sufficient tempta-

tion. Some liars may expect to be safe, because their

lies are not of a mischievous kind, but when they do

evil that good may come, they expose themselves to

just condemnation. All liars, says our great judge,

shall have their part in the infernal lake‡.

            Ver. 6. Many will entreat the favour of the prince,

and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.

            It is, no doubt, a right thing to honour princes, and to

seek their favour when we need it, if God is not neg-

lected, from whom every man's judgment comes. The

Lord is the king of kings, and it is a plain evidence that

we forget God, when we are less anxious about his fa-

vour, than men are about the favour of our fellow

worms.

            Princes need not pride themselves in the homage

that is paid to them, for their favour is sought by men,

not so much out of regard to their persons, as from a

regard to their power. Kindness and liberality have

a greater influence for gaining the hearts of men, than

dignity of station. There are many that seek the ruler's

 

*Deut. 19:16-21       †Chap. 6:10   ‡Rev. 21:8

464                  EXPOSITION OF THE                  [CHAP. XIX.

 

favour, but every man loves him that is generous. When

power and generosity meet in the same person, he be-

comes an object of universal esteem, like Marcus Anto-

ninus, who was lamented by every man when he was

dead, as if the glory of the Roman empire had died

with him.

            How inexcusable are we, if we do not love God with

all our hearts. His gifts to us are past number, and

all the gifts of men to us are the fruits of his bounty,

conveyed by the ministry of those whose hearts are dis-

posed by his providence to kindness.  "I have seen

thy face," said Jacob to Esau, "as the face of God."

His brother's favour he knew to be a fruit of the mercy

of him with whom he spoke and prevailed at Bethel.

            In our love to the rich and liberal, we exceed the

bounds of duty, if we reserve not a proper share of out

regard for the poor, who cannot give us any thing, but

have a title to receive from us. But the greatest part

of men are of a different mind from Christ Jesus, and

think it more blessed to receive than to give.

            Ver. 7. All the brethren of the poor do hate him, how

much more do his friends go far from him? he pur-

sueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him.

            The brethren of the poor hate him:  This is very

hard:  He might have expected that though all men

had forsaken him, yet his brethren would have shewed

compassion in the time of distress. A brother is born

for adversity, and he aught chiefly at such a season to

shew that he is a brother, and if he does not, he great-

ly aggravates the distress of such a near friend by his

unkindness*, and gives a fair pretence to those that

are not connected with the poor by such endearing ties,

to forsake them. We make ourselves guilty of other

men's sins, when we tempt them to sin by our exam-

ple, especially when our obligations to the opposite

duty are much stronger.

 

*Job 6:15

CHAP. XIX]          BOOK OF PROVERBS                 465

 

            This sin is very general, and almost universal among

men, although nature, as well as scripture, testifies against

it. The best of men have often complained in the time

of their afflictions, that they were forsaken and abhorred

by those whom they most loved, and those from whom

they had reason to expect the greatest kindness*.

            But how do they discover their hatred? by behaving

like aliens, and turning a deaf ear to their entreaties.

This is a sufficient evidence of hatred in the wise man's

view, and therefore we may justly conclude, that there

is more of this abominable sin in the world than those

that are chargeable with it will be willing to acknow-

ledge. The want of love is hatred, though in a lesser

degree than malice or spite, and therefore the apostle

John distinguishes the righteous from the wicked, by

this mark of loving or hating their brethren†. By

extending this observation into its native consequen-

ces, we might convict all wicked men of enmity against

God himself‡ for they do not love him, but despise

his laws, and have a reigning aversion to every mean of

fellowship with him.

            When poor men are real Christians, it is a double ini-

quity to despise them for their poverty, for they have

a double claim to our regard, and their Redeemer is a

severe avenger of their wrongs ||.

            To disregard the importunity of the poor when we

are able to help them, is a sign of a very hard heart, and

provokes God to disregard the prayers of such unmer-

ciful creatures, in the day of their own distress, and to

punish them without mercy §.

            When the poor are overlooked, let them remember

his text to their comfort. When God testifies against

this conduct of their friends, it is a clear evidence that

his ways are not as men's ways, nor his thoughts as

 

*Job 19, Ps. 31 & 88            † 1 John 2:10 etc.     ‡ Rom. 8:7

|| Job 19:28,29                       § James 2:13, Ezek. 16:50

466                  EXPOSITION OF THE                  [CHAP. XIX.

 

their thoughts. When Job's friends scorned him, his

eyes poured out tears unto God. Christ was left in his

distress by all his disciples, but he was not alone, for

the Father was with him. But it is an encouragement

to our faith, that he had, in the days of his flesh, so large

experience of the sorrows of poverty, for in that he him-

self hath suffered, being tempted, he is able also to suc-

cour them that are tempted *.

            Ver. 8. He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul:

he that keepeth understanding shall find good.

            Spiritual wisdom is not natural to men, and the best

scholars, and greatest philosophers, live and die fools,

unless they get into their possession that wisdom which

cometh from above, and is taught in the holy Scrip-

tures.

            The way of getting this wisdom is to be sensible of

our need of it, to trust in him to whom all the treasures

of wisdom and knowledge belong, for the communica-

tion of it, and to be diligent in the use of the means

which he hath appointed, and will bless, for conveying

it to us.

            We must not only get, but keep this precious trea-

sure, retaining it in our hearts, shewing it forth in all

our behaviour, and refusing to part with it on any ac-

count†.

            Many think that those men who are so careful to seek

and retain wisdom, are great losers, buying it at too high

a price, and refusing to part with it at the risk of every

thing that is valuable in the eyes of men. But the Spi-

rit of God assures us in this place, that they are great

gainers, and never can be losers. They may hate their

wealth and ease, their friends and life, for the sake of

wisdom, but when they do so, they are lovers of their

souls, and millions of lives are not to be put in compe-

tition with an immortal soul. They may meet with

loss and disgrace, with persecution and death, but still

 

*Heb. 2:18     † Chap. 23:23

CHAP. XIX]          BOOK OF PROVERBS                 467

 

they find good, for they not only find those eternal ad-

vantages which infinitely outweigh every temporal

loss *, but even these losses themselves are good to

them that find wisdom, which, like the pretended phi-

losopher's stone, turns every thing into gold. That

is truly good to us, which does us good, and that does

us good which makes us good, or brings us nearer to

the possession of the chief good. The keeper of wis-

dom does not always find that which appears good to a

carnal eye, but he always finds that which appears good

in the eyes of God, and consequently in his own eyes.

Paul found much good in the things that appear the

most frightful objects in nature to the greatest part of

men.

            Ver. 9. A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he

that speaketh lies shall perish.

            These sins are very pernicious, and yet Solomon knew

and found them so common, that he publishes a double

warning against them, almost in the same breath, verse

5.

            Ver. 10. Delight is not seemly for a fool, much less

for servants to have rule over princes.

            Wisdom turns every thing to a man's advantage and

honour, but folly turns gain into loss, and makes a man

ridiculous and contemptible, when he is surrounded

with every thing that might make him happy, and pro-

cure him respect. Delight is a thing that all men wish

to enjoy, but when a fool is furnished with every mean

of pleasure, his folly is heightened into madness, and

he is found to be seventimes more a fool than he ap-

peared to be when he was in other circumstances. A

whip is proper for an ass, and a rod for the fool's back, <