Proverbs 6

Notes

Ver. 1-5. And that no occasion may be given for family contentions or ruin, let me admonish you to beware of all rash engagements in suretiship, especially for such whose honesty or ability you know not; but if you have rashly entangled and enslaved yourself by such obligations, endeavour, as quickly as possible, by every humble and persuasive method you can think of; nay, struggle as for life, to disengage yourself, by pressing the debtor to pay what he owes, or the creditor to acquit you of your bond.—6-11. Meanwhile, never indulge yourself in sloth, and want of provident care; but learn, from those puny insects the ants, to labour diligently in your calling, and carefully improve every opportunity of honestly providing for yourself and your family: and remember that, if that inclination to idleness and sloth, so common to mankind, be indulged by you, whether in greater or smaller degrees, unexpected and at last extreme poverty shall irresistibly come upon you.—12-15. Remember too, that it is the property of persons vile and wicked to accustom themselves to profane, blasphemous, proud, passionate, lewd, or reproachful discourse, or by signs made with their eyes, feet, or fingers to stir up others to mischief. The heart of such being filled with perverse inclinations, they are perpetually contriving mischief, and stirring up hatred and contention among their neighbours: but suddenly shall their villany and wickedness issue in their irretrievable infamy and ruin. 16-19. And indeed proud looks, lying tongues, murderous hands, hearts given to mischievous contrivances, feet given to a speedy execution of injurious designs, perjured persons, and sowers of discord among friends or neighbours, are distinguished objects of God's indignation.—20-22. Let me therefore again press you to attend to, highly esteem, and carefully practise, those divine instructions which have been tendered to you by your parents. This will be of great use to direct, preserve, and comfort you in your whole labours of life. 23, 24. For the law of God, as a lamp, guides in adversity, and, as the light of the sun, directs and comforts in prosperity; and the reproofs of his Word are excellent means of preserving from ruin, and leading to true happiness; and are particularly useful to preserve from being deluded by the flattering speeches and enticements of lewd women, those sinks of wickedness and plagues of mankind. 25-29. As you regard your temporal or eternal welfare, never gaze on the beauty or fine attire of such: never let their wanton and enticing looks engage you to the most distant desire after their dangerous embraces; for if once they insnare you, they will never quit their hold till they have reduced you to extreme beggary, or to a miserable and ignominious death. You may more safely take fire into your bosom, or walk upon burning coals, than intermeddle, however privately or transiently, with a whorish woman, particularly if either party be married. 30-33. If one merely steal to fill his hungry belly, he is not exposed to shame or punishment; and if it be found that he has stolen more, it is only required that he should make complete restitution according to the law, which may perhaps amount to all that he is worth. But he who commits adultery with a woman can have no necessity for it, but acts through mere folly and wickedness, and so exposes himself to the loss of his life by the magistrates, as well as to eternal damnation from the hand of God. He exposes himself to bloody quarrels, and renders himself irrecoverably infamous. And though the civil magistrate should wickedly spare his life, yet it is exposed to the fury of a justly enraged husband, who will regard no penitential submissions or entreaties, and accept no gifts as the ransom of it.

Ver. 1. This is a passage of great practical difficulty. Does it, by implication, altogether forbid the aid of suretiship to friends? This cannot be; for in many instances such suretiship is indispensable. Does it, then, covertly condemn merely such 'rash and inconsiderate engagements as arise from an undue facility of temper, rather than from a deliberate calculation of duty?' Such covert insinuation of a principle is inconsistent with the plainness of Scripture. With great deference, the following slight and well warranted change in the translation is suggested:—'My son, if thou be surety to thy friend,' see Ge. 24. 54. This makes the object of the passage to be a warning against any neglect of a friend's interest (for which we have become accountable), from any undue presumptuous draft upon his friendship—a most necessary warning; for in practice there are many who will neglect their own interests, and the interests of their best friends, for the éclat that may result from their attention and liberality to strangers. C.

Reflections.—Greatly advantageous, even to the outward interests of persons, families, and nations, is an exact obedience to God's commandments. And it is sinful and foolish to ruin our estates or families by engaging for other people's debts: but infamously wicked are those debtors who exert not themselves to the utmost to relieve their sureties. Great care ought to be taken of our outward property. In respect of it we are but God's stewards, and ought to lay it out and bring it in according to his directions. The amazing instinct which God hath given to some animals, and their conduct, shame the slothful of mankind. Such sluggards are very averse to be roused to their work, spiritual or temporal. If one degree of indolence be denied them, they would gradually enjoy a lesser: but poverty in a quick, irresistible, and ruinous manner, comes to such at last. With alarming earnestness do sinners practise iniquity, and make every power of their soul, or member of their body, instrumental therein. And many things in heart, in lip, in life, are detested by God, which are overlooked as almost innocent by men. With what ardent love ought we to regard the word of God as our enlightening instructor and regulating law! It is necessary to receive, retain, and improve it as a powerful mean to preserve us from fleshly lusts, which war against both body and soul. But terrible and fatal snares are the flattering words and looks of whorish and light women. It is impossible to avoid destruction if once we are entangled by them. And it is shocking that so many indulge themselves in a crime so infamous and destructive.