Annotations upon the five books immediately following the historicall part of the Old Testament (commonly called the five doctrinall or poeticall books) to wit, the book of Iob, the Psalms, the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon ... / by Arthur Jackson ...

CHAP. VIII.

Vers. 1. DOth not wisdome cry? &c.] See the Note Prov. 1.20: and understand∣ing put forth her voice? that is, freely discover unto men the whole will of God. Having shewn in the foregoing chapter how young men are seduced by harlots, here he sets forth how wisdome doth every where instruct men better; & so hereby he proves, that neither these, nor consequent∣ly any other wicked men, can plead ignorance, but that they wilfully run upon their own perditiō, because they will not hearken to the instruction of wisdome.

Vers. 2. She standeth in the top of high places, &c.] To wit, where she may best be heard: by the way in the places of the paths; that is, where severall waies meet together; or rather, in all places where men use to walk, or where they are wont to resort & meet. The drift of the words is, to shew that wisdome instructs men in all places whatsoever: see the Note chap. 1.20. But in the expressions here used there may seem to be an allusion to magistrates, that cause their proclama∣tions to be published by their heralds & other officers, standing aloft above the people, & that in places of greatest concourse. Neither is that altogether improba∣ble, which some conceive is signified hereby, to wit, that wisdome doth direct

men when they are in the greatest streights, not knowing what course to take, as travellers use to be, when they come to a place where severall waies meet together.

Vers. 3. She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, &c.] See the Note chap. 1.21: at the coming in at the doors; to wit, of mens private houses: so that the mea∣ning is, that wisdome instructs men both in publick and private.

Vers. 4. Vnto you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of man.] That is, all men whatsoever. Yet by men may be more particularly meant aged men, or men of chief rank and quality; and by the sons of man, young or mean men.

Vers. 5. O ye simple, understand wisdome, and ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.] This may be spoken to all wicked men, and that with an intention to give them to understand, that how wise soever they thought themselves, yet they were indeed but simple fools. But see also the Notes chap. 1.4, 22.

Vers. 6. The opening of my lips shall be right things.] See the Note Psal. 19.8.

Vers. 9. They are all plain to him that understandeth, &c.] That is, to those that do with honest & upright hearts use all holy means to find out the meaning of them, & so thereupon God doth enlighten them, & takes away that vail of ignorance that is naturally upon the hearts of all men. It is want of understanding in us, & so of diligence in searching into the knowledge of them, if they seem dark and obscure.

Vers. 10. Receive my instruction, & not silver, &c.] That is, rather then silver, as the following clause explains it, & knowledge rather then choice gold. Yet withall this may imply, that unlesse men take off their affections from an over-eager pur∣suit after worldly riches, they will never mind wisdome as they ought to doe.

Vers. 12. I wisdome dwell with prudence, &c.] As if he should have said, we are never asunder. So that this expression doth imply, 1. that Christ hath both wis∣dome & prudence essentially in him; & 2. that by his word & spirit he doth teach men prudence, & to carry themselves prudently, that is, discreetly & circum∣spectly, in all their waies. It may be translated, I wisdome dwell with subtlety, for which see the Note chap. 1.4. And find out knowledge of witty inventions; that is, I suggest to men all those inventions whereby they contrive the effecting of any good to themselves, whereby they may doe things cautelously and prudently ac∣cording to the will of God, or may doe well in the best manner, wherein the wit as it were of religion appeareth.

Vers. 13. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil, &c.] And this is added here, because the fear of the Lord is the fruit, the first & chief part of wisdome; see the Notes chap. 1.7. & Psal. 111.10: pride and arrogancy, which is first mentioned because it is the root of all vices, and the evil way, that is, every sinfull practise and cu∣stome, and the froward mouth do I hate; see the Note chap. 6.12. As if it had been said, And consequently I teach others to hate them, and am the fountain from whence every good grace must flow into their souls. See the Note also Psal. 45.7.

Vers. 14. Counsell is mine, &c.] Whence it is said of Christ Isa. 9.6. his Name shall be called wonderfull, Counsellour: All policy that is not from Christ, and accor∣ding to the word of God, is no better then folly: and sound wisdome; see the Note chap. 2.7. I am understanding, that is, I give men understanding, or I teach men

prudently to effect what by good counsell hath been well contrived. Yet the phrase is here changed; he saith not, Understanding is mine, but, I am understan∣ding, to shew that understanding is essentially and perfectly in Christ. As for the last clause, I have strength, either it may be meant 1. of that almighty power that is in Christ, whereby he is able to doe whatsoever he pleaseth, and whereby he hath conquered hell and death & sin; or 2. of that spirituall strength, that fortitude and magnanimity & strength of grace, which by the word & spirit of Christ men attain, whereby they are enabled to bear all afflictions, and to resist all temptati∣ons, and to carry themselves in all things as strong Christians; or 3. that divine assistance whereby they accomplish the greatest enterprises which upon due con∣sultation they have resolved upon.

Vers. 15. By me kings reign, &c.] This is ascribed to wisdome, 1. because all government is the ordinance of Christ, the son & wisdome of the Father; 2. be∣cause by his providence they are advanced to the throne, (and that many times too for that excellent measure of wisdome which he hath given them,) & by his providence they are supported & protected in their places; & 3. because by the wisdome which he gives them they govern the people prudently & justly & suc∣cessefully, & by his providence they are prospered in their enterprizes: & prin∣ces decree justice; that is, they make just laws, and pronounce just sentences, when they sit in the judgement-seat. And now by all this may be also implyed, that if the great ones of the world have so much advantage from wisdome, much more may others expect the like in their private affairs.

Ves. 17. I love them that love me, &c.] The meaning is, that they who heartily affect wisdome shall find her ready to impart her self to them, according to that which followeth in the next clause, and they that seek me early shall find me. And though it be true that Christ loveth us before we can love him, 1 Joh. 4.19. We love him, because he first loved us; yet it is true also, that when we love him, the more we love him, the more he loveth us.

Vers. 18. Riches and honour are with me, &c.] See the Note chap. 3.16: yea, durable riches, and righteousnesse. And this is added, either to shew, that even the outward wealth & honour which wisdome confers upon men are better then the riches & honours of worldly men, and that because that which she confers is ever gotten with righteousnesse, & is therefore durable, whenas theirs are usually gotten by injustice & wickednesse, and so continue not long with them: or else to shew, that besides outward riches and honour, he gives also durable riches; or that the riches and honour which he intended in the first clause, was not the riches & ho∣nour of this world, but riches which were durable, even spirituall & eternall riches and honours. And by righteousnesse, which is particularly added, may be meant either the imputed righteousnesse of Christ, or the righteousnesse of mens lives and conversations. Now this last exposition seems to agree best with the follow∣ing verses.

Vers. 19. My fruit is better then gold, &c.] See the Note chap. 3.14. If we un∣derstand this not of the gain of wisdome, but of that which is gotten by wisdome, then hereby may be meant the righteousnesse mentioned in the foregoing verse;

or more generally both remission of sins, and sanctification, and a holy conversa∣tion here, and eternall life hereafter.

Vers. 20. I lead, &c.] It is in the Original, I walk; but the meaning is, I cause men to walk: in the way of righteousnesse, in the midst of the paths of judgement; to wit, where there is no danger of erring, or, without turning aside to the right hand or to the left. And the drift of this is to shew, either that the riches which wisdome gives are not gotten by unrighteousnesse, as wicked mens are; or ra∣ther, that this is, or this brings men to, that durable riches before spoken of, or that fruit of wisdome, which is better then gold, &c. as it is in the foregoing verse.

Vers. 21. That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, &c.] Some Ex∣positours conceive that under this word substance even worldly riches are compre∣hended, to wit, when they are well gotten, & so continue with men, & are enjoy∣ed with contentment; which last they take to be implyed in those last words, & I will fill their treasures. But the most & best Expositours do by substance under∣stand true happinesse, which consists in the enjoyment of God, in having our souls adorned with true grace here, & in the blisse of life eternall hereafter: and that because these have true substance & solid consistency in them, and shall be possessed by them that have them as an inheritance for ever, and fully satisfy the desires of their souls; whereas worldly wealth (though for that men are usually miscalled substantiall men) in true judgement is not, but only in shew & semblance, in opinion and imagination, Prov. 23.5. wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? at least such things can only be reckoned amongst mens moveables, nor can ever fill the desires of our souls; it is only life eternall that deserves to be coun∣ted our inheritance.

Vers. 22. The Lord possessed me, &c.] To wit, as his wisdome & as his son, that was alwaies with and in the Father, according to that Joh. 1.1. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God: in the beginning of his way; that is, say some, of his eternall decrees; or rather, of his works of Cre∣ation, and consequently from eternity, as the following words explain it, before his works of old; see the Note Psal. 93.2: for he that was in the beginning of the creation, must needs have had a being before, and that must needs be an eter∣nall being.

Vers. 23. I was set up from everlasting, &c.] That is, say some Expositours, I was appointed to be the Mediatour, the anointed king of his Church; or rather, I was with and in the Father, of equall majesty and power with him, and by me he appointed to make and govern all his creatures: from the beginning, or ever the earth was; to wit, so much as in the Chaos, when it was yet without form and void, Gen. 1.2.

Vers. 24. When there were no depths, &c.] To wit, of water; no seas, lakes or rivers; see the Note chap. 3.20: I was brought forth; that is, I was from all eter∣nity begotten of my Father: for the wisdome of the Father speaks here of himself after the manner of men.

Vers. 26. While as yet he had not made the earth, &c.] That is, He had not yet separated the waters from it, & compacted it into a solid body, and made it dry

land, that it might be habitable for man & beasts; see the Note Gen. 1.9: and thence are those following words added, nor the fields, that is, he had not yet ador∣ned and furnished the earth with grasse & herbs and plants & trees; nor the highest part of the dust of the world, that is, those parts of the earth which are above the wa∣ter, the dry land, that admirable superficies of the whole earth, which is now so goodly to behold. Yea hereby may be implyed, that there was not yet so much as a little dust made. I know that because those words in the Original, which we tran∣slate the fields, may be render'd the open places, therefore some conceive that there∣by is meant the air, or the whole superficies of the continent, so far as it may be seen by the eye of man, or the plains & champian countries, as opposed to the mountains and hils mentioned in the foregoing verse. And so likewise, because those last words, nor the highest part, &c. may be read, nor the chief part of the dust of the world, therefore some understand thereby the habitable part of the world, or the most commodious, goodly and delightfull parts of the earth. But the for∣mer exposition seems to me the clearest.

Vers. 27. When he prepared the heavens, I was there, &c.] To wit, as an agent and fellow-worker with the Father: when he set a compasse (or, a circle) upon the face of the depth; that is, when he reduced the immense depth of the earth and wa∣ter into a perfect globe, making it exactly round, as if it had been measured with a pair of compasses.

Vers. 28. When he established the clouds above, &c.] That is, When he caused them to abide in the firmament, notwithstanding they are full of water, which one would think might make them break in pieces at all times, and fall down to the earth; see the Note Job 26.8: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep; that is, when he gave power to the springs & fountains, that come originally from the sea, or however out of the deep places of the earth, to yield continually, without being ever drawn dry, abundance of waters, which run in their severall channels with mighty strength & violence; whence is that expression of the Prophet Isa. 8.7. the waters of the river strong and many.

Vers. 29. When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not passe his com∣mandement.] See the Note Job 26.10.

Vers. 30. Then I was by him, as one brought up with him, & I was daily his delight, rejoycing alwaies before him.] The Son of God, the wisdome of the Father, apply∣ing himself to our capacity, doth here compare himself to a child that precious in the eyes of those that bring him up, to a nursling smiling upon his nurse, or to a little child sporting and playing before his father; & that to set forth 1. the mutuall delight and complacency which the Father & the Son took in each other from all eternity, & the great delight which they joyntly took in the excellency of the work of wisdome, to wit, the creation, as likewise his wise ordering of all the creatures that he had made; and 2. more particularly, the delight which the Father took in his Son, in whom he was alwaies well pleased, & in whom he reioy∣ced more then in the works that were made by him, which is expressed in that clause, and I was daily his delight.

Vers. 31. Rejoycing in the habitable part of his earth, &c.] To wit, as some say,

in that the wisdome of God made it with ease, & without any toil & labour; or rather, as taking pleasure in the excellency of the work, as likewise afterwards in the governing of it by his providence, & in doing good unto all the creatures therein. And my delights were with the sons of men; to wit, first, in that he delighted in man as the master-piece of the whole work of creation, for whom the whole world was made, & who himself was made after the image of God, & so only ca∣pable both of observing the works of wisdome, & of being instructed in the waies of wisdome: and 2. in that he loved them dearly, & so accordingly delighted in them, as 1. to be with 〈◊〉〈◊〉; whence it was that he often appeared to the patri∣archs & prophets, and at last, when the fulnesse of time was come, took upon him mans nature, and dwelt amongst them, & as the son of man conversed familiarly with them, & doth still, where his Church is, dwell amongst them by the presence of his grace in his Ordinances, and by his spirit in their hearts; & 2. to teach and instruct them; and 3. to doe all the good that might be done for them, to re∣deem them, to reconcile them to his Father, to sanctify them, to watch over them for good here, and then at last to bring them to live for ever with him in his kingdome of glory.

Vers. 34. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.] That is, that seeketh me with all diligence and constancy. In the words there seems to be an allusion to suiters or clients, that will be be∣times at the doors of princes & great men, and will wait there day after day, till they get that which they wait for; or to Scholars, that will be so early at school, that they are fain to stand waiting when they come thither, till the doors be o∣pen; or to young men that wait at the doors of their mistresses; or to those that resorted diligently to their Synagogues that they might hear the Word.