law; but it is much better to understand it of the
light of the eyes in the Gospel, and the inysteries of it.
And a good report maketh the bones fat; or a good
hearing w; not the sense of hearing, or a quick exer-
cise of that, though a very great blessing; but
things heard. Some understand this of a good
or fame{x}, which is sometimes the sense of the phrase;
either a good report which a man hears of himself,
which makes his Spirit cheerful; and this affects his
body and the juices of it, which fill his bones with
marrow, and cover them with fathess; or which he
hears of his friends, and is pleasing to him, as it was
to the Apostle John that Demetrius had a good report
of all men, 3 John 12. But rather this is to be un-
derstood of the good news, or good hearing, from a
far country, as the same phrase is rendered in ch.
xxv. o_5. and here in the Arabic version is so tran-
slated, even th.e Gospel, which isa report; see Isa. ISIS. 1.
Rom. x. 16. a report concerning God, the perfections
of his nature, the purposes of his heart, the covenant
of his grace, his love, grace, and mercy towards
men in Christ Jesus; a report concerning Christ, con-
cerning his person and offices, concerning his incar-
nation, obedience, sufferings, and death; concerning
his resurrection, ascension, sitting at the right hand
of God, intercession for his people, and second
coming to judgment; and concerning salvation, peace,
pardon, righteousness, and eternal life by him; a re-
port concerning the good land, the heavenly Canaan,
and the glories of it, the way unto it, aud. the persons
that shall possess it: and this is a good report; it is
good tidings of good things, a report of good things
laid up iu covenant, which are come by-Christ the
great High-priest, which saints are interested in, and
shall partake of here and hereafter; it is a true report,
and to be believed, since it is made by God himself,
by Jesus Christ the faithful witness, and by the apos-
ties of Christ, who were eye and ear witnesses of the
things they reported; and such a report being heard,
received, and embraced, greatly contributes to the
spiritual health and prosperity of the children of God,
itmakes them fat and flourishing; such pleasant words
are as the honeycomb, sweet to the soul, make glad
the heart, and are marrow and health to the bones;
see ch. iii. 8. and xii. 25. and xvi. 24.
Ver. 31. The ear that hearrib the reproof of life, &c.3
That is given according to the word of life, in a warm,
fervent, and lively manner, with zeal, and in good
earnest; which reproves the life of another by his
own, as well as by words; and which tends to the
spiritual and eternal life of the person reproved; being
taken, a man that diligently hearkens to, kindly and
cordially receives, and cheerfully obeys such reproof
given him, abideth among the wise; he not only
chooseth to be among them, that he may have the ad-
vantage of their wise counsels and reproofs, but he be-
comes wise himself thereby, and attains to the cha-
racter of a wise man, and is numbered among them;
such a man abides in the house of wisdom, the church
of God, and attends upon and has conversation with
the wise dispensers of the word, and shall have a part
with them in the church above, in the kingdom of
heaven, where the wise will shine as the firmament;
the word here used does not denote a lodging for a
night, as it sometimes signifies, but a perpetual
abiding.
Ver. 32. He that refuseth instruction, &c.3 The in-
struction of parents, masters, ministers, and of God
himself; or correction {y}, iustruction either by the word
or by the rod; he that withdraws himself from it, will
not be in the way of it, that shuns, neglects, and
despises it, or carelessly and contemptuously attends
it: despiseth his own soul; shews that he makes no
account of it, has no regard for it or care about it,
when it is so precious a .jewel, and the loss of it irre-
parable; not that a man can strictly and properly
despise his soul, but comparatively, having a greater
regard for his body, and especially for his carnal lusts
d pleasures, than for that; or as a man diseased and
proper medicines may be said to despise his
But he that heareth reproof getteth under-
standing; or a heart{z}; he gets understanding by lis-
tening to reproof, and behaving according to it; lie
better understands himself and his case, what lie
should shun and avoid, what he should receive, em-
brace, and do; instead of losing his soul, as the man
that refuses correction does, he finds the life of it, and
possesses it, and with it a large share of experience and
spiritual wisdom.
Ver. 33. The fear of the Lord is the instruction of
wisdom, &c.] It is the beginning of wisdom, ch. ix. 10.
it leads unto it, instructs a man in it; by means of it
he attains to true spiritual and evangelical wisdom;
it teaches him to abstain from sin, and to serve the
Lord; and to seek the salvation of his soul in the
way God has appointed, which is by his Son Jesus
Christ, which to do is the highest wisdom. And be-
..fore honour is humility; the fear of God and humility
go together, where the one is the other is; and as
the one is the way to wisdom, the other is the way to
glory; Christ's humiliation was before his exaltation;
men are first humbled and laid low in their own eyes,
and then they are raised out of their low estate, and
are set among princes; and shall inherit. the throne of
glory, being made kings and priests unto God; it is
a frequent saying of Christ's, he that humbleth himself
shall be exalted, Luke xiv. 11. such an one is raised to
a high estate of grace, and at last to eternal glory.

{w} \^hbwj hewmv\^ auditus bonus, Vatablus; auditio bona, Mon-
tanus, Junius & Tremellius.
{x} Fama bona, V. L. Tigurine version, Pagninus, Mercerus, Gejerus.
{y} \^rowm\^ correctionem, Pagninus, Vatablus; qui abstrahit se a cas
tigatione, Piscator.
{z} \^bl\^ cor, Pagninus, Piscator, Schultens, Michaelis, &c.