Volume II
The Book of Proverbs,
With John Brown’s marginal references, notes and reflections · Vol. II, p. 1080
And the two immediately following, were penned by Solomon, the renowned king of Israel. Its Hebrew name MISCHLIM imports sentences well pressed together, and powerful to command our assent and regulate our conduct. Teaching by such proverbs, or short substantial sentences, was a very ancient, and is a very plain, profitable, and easy method of instruction. These Proverbs of Solomon are not a mere collection of the wise sayings which had been uttered before his time, but are the inspired dictates of the Holy Ghost to him; and are often quoted or alluded to as such in other inspired books. This book comprehends: (1) A preface; consisting of manifold exhortations to the study and improvement of true wisdom, and of warnings to avoid connections or intimacy with wicked persons, whoredom, rash suretiship, sloth, &c. ch. i.-ix. (2) The Proverbs themselves; published from the beginning, x.-xxiv., or copied out by the direction of Hezekiah, xxv.-xxix. (3) The appendix; containing the prophecy of Agur, and the directions of his mother to him, xxx. xxxi. As the Book of Psalms is calculated to make our hearts warm towards God in holy and pious affections, the scope of this is to make our face shine before men in a prudent, discreet, honest, and useful conversation; which is a no less necessary part of religion. And no book in the world, in so small a compass, affords us such a complete body of rules for directing our personal and relative behaviour.