Proverbs 5

Notes

Ver. 1, 2. And, my children, what I am just going to say requires your particular and most serious consideration, that you may be able to preserve yourselves from the most subtle and dangerous deceits, and, by your pious and prudent discourses and admonitions, prevent the ensnarement of others. 3-6. For, astonishing are the arts, and inconceivable the enchanting flatteries, of whorish women, as if nothing but the most pure and exquisite pleasures were to be enjoyed in fellowship with them: but dreadful is the real issue thereof, in the impairing of men's health, strength, estates, and reputation; and in remorse of conscience, wretched death, and endless damnation. And to prevent your repentance and escape from their snares, they will turn themselves into ten thousand forms, that they may work on your several humours. 7-14. Let me, therefore, with the utmost affection, earnestness, and solemnity, beseech you to avoid such women, and all, even the most distant, approaches to familiarity with them, as a dangerous, an infernal plague; lest you forfeit your credit, and sacrifice your vigour of life to base and cruel wretches, who labour to ruin you to every intent, and for ever; and lest your wealth, and the fruit of your care and labour, should by their means be transferred from you to others; and when your substance is gone, and your body pining to death, under horrible diseases, you should have nothing left you but inexpressible torment of conscience, reflecting upon the faithful admonitions of parents and teachers which you have contemned, and the miseries you do, and must for ever, undergo. 15-19. And to prevent your having the smallest inclination to the base and polluting pleasures of whoredom, marry; and in a wife, wholly your own, enjoy and rest contented with the pure, chaste, and honourable pleasures of the marriage state. Take pleasure in having children by her, sporting in the streets, or dispersed into families. Have children by her alone, and which you are sufficiently certain are really your own. Make your wife happy, by an affectionate cleaving to her only: and take pleasure in her innocent and delightful company. While you live together, let her always be amiable in your eyes; cherish her with the most tender affection; and in her embraces, and tender regard, always take such satisfaction as to prevent your affections in the least fixing upon another in her stead. 20, 21. And when you can so fully, pleasantly, securely, constantly, innocently, and honourably enjoy such pleasures in a pious and affectionate wife, why risk everything dear, to enjoy the base, dishonourable, destructive, and damning pleasures of whoredom—especially when the all-seeing God witnesses your most secret conduct, and will quickly reward or punish you according to the nature of it? 22, 23. Nor shall whoremongers and adulterers long escape his insupportable justice;—their own guilt and lust shall for ever bind and hold them fast under the power of his wrath. To punish their contempt of former instructions and warnings, God shall abandon them to impenitence, and permit them madly to rush forward, through increasing crimes, into endless damnation.

Ver. 2. Knowledge. The knowledge of the evil of sin in time and eternity; the knowledge of God in Christ, reconciling the world to himself; the knowledge of regeneration, whereby men are renewed in heart, speech, and behaviour; the knowledge of glory, into which fornicators and adulterers can never enter. C.

Ver. 6. Movable. Like the shifting sands at the estuary of rivers, that move in a storm, and destroy many vessels before their new positions can be sufficiently ascertained. But let it never be forgot, that whilst this wicked and seducing woman is a real character, she is also an emblem of heathen idolatry and Christian apostasy; that like her, lead the soul away from God, and promising life, lead down to the ways of destruction and death. See note on ch. 2. 17. C.

Ver. 19. The loving hind and pleasant roe. The affection of many quadrupeds and birds—nay, of some animals of the deep—for their young, presents an instructive lesson, and often a killing reproof, to rational, immortal, and accountable beings. But however great the evil and the shame, when human beings become unfaithful to one another—how much greater when the harlotry of error seduces the church from her Saviour—when 'the ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib, but Israel doth not know, God's people do not consider?' Is. 1. 3. C.

Reflections.—It is shameful and shocking that mankind should be inclined, nay, so much inclined, to a sin so base, so beastly, and ruinous, as whoredom.—That even in the sex where modesty ought to shine with distinguished lustre, wretches should be found who impudently entice to it! Surely it must be very absurd to prefer the pleasures of it, attended with miseries innumerable, to the innocent, the sanctified joys and honours of the marriage state! But no wonder that they who atheistically discredit the omniscience and justice of God, and live thoughtless of their future account, should proceed to the most infamous lengths in wickedness. Yet let them remember, that in the most miserable manner, correspondent to their sins, they shall at last be hurried into endless fire!