the soul, yet will not make use of the least mite out
of them, that they may receive eternal life.
Ver. 0.5. Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware,
&c.] That is, give reproof to a man that scoffs at
religion, and makes a jest of all that is good; for
though it may be of no use to him who will despise it,
yet it may be observed, and be useful to another that
hears it; who, though void of understanding, yet not
hardened in impiety as the other, but open to convic-
tion, will become cunning {x}, as it may be rendered; or
learns wisdom, and becomes hereby a knowing and
understanding man; he hears another reproved, and
fears, and becomes a wise man; so that though re-
proof may be lost on one, it succeeds in another,
which is an encouragement to give it. And reprove
one that hath understanding, and he will understand
knowledge; he will grow wiser and wiser; he will im-
prove in the knowledge of things; see oh. ix. 8.
Ver. 26. lie that wasteth his father, &c.] His fa-
ther's substance, which he gave him first as his por-
tion, and afterwards by paying his debts, and getting
him out of prison and out of broils, and that wastes
Iris spirits and his health, and brings his gray hairs
with sorrow to the grave. And chaseth away his mo-
ther: alienates her affections from him, who once had
too great a fondness for him; causes her to quit her
house, not being able to bear the sight of him and of
his actions: is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth
reproach; causes shame to his parents, as well as to
himself; and a reproach upon them, as well as on his
own character. It may be read thus, "a son that
"causeth shame, and bringeth reproach, wasteth his
"father, and chaseth away his mother {y}."
Vet. 27. Cease, my son, to hear the instruction, &c.]
The counsel of bad men, or the doctrine of false
teachers. The words are spoken either by Solomon
to his son; or by Wisdom, that is, Christ, to every one
of his children, to beware of false prophets, and take
heed what they hear; see Matt. vii. 15. Mark iv. 24. such
as the doctrines of the church of Rome; concerning
the Scriptures, forbidding the people to read them;
setting unwritten traditions upon a level with them, and
making the pope an infallible interpreter of them; con-
cerning merit, works of supererogation, indulgences,
pardons, penance, purgatory, &c. such as the instruc-
tion of the Arians, Sabellians, Socinians, Pelagians,
and Arminians, concerning the Trinity, the deity of
Christ, his satisfaction, imputed righteousness, the
power and purity of human nature, and man's free
will. That canseth to err from the words of knowledge;
the words of the living God, the Scriptures of truth ;
which communicate knowledge, and are profitable for
instruction in righteousness; are the means of the true
knowledge of God; that there is one, and that he is
possessed of all perfections: particularly that he is
gracious and merciful, and pardons all manner of sin;
that he is in Christ, the God of all grace; that he is the
God and Father of Christ, and the covenant God and
Father of all his people in him; they give knowledge
of his mind and will concerning the salvation of men,
and of his ways and worship. The wholesome words
of our Lord Jesus, the salutary doctrines of the Gospel,
may be here meant; those words of grace, wisdom,
and knowledge, which come from him, and give know-
ledge of his person, offices, relations, incarnation, and
blessings of grace by him; from whence they are called
the word of peace and reconciliation, the word of
righteousness, the word of life, and the word of salva-
tion. Now these are all words of knowledge; and are
the means of a spiritual, experimental, and fiducial
knowledge of Christ, which is preferable to all other
knowledge, and even to every thing in the world; and
therefore care should be taken, and every thing avoided
that tends to cause to err from these words and doc-
trines, which convey, promote, and improve this know-
ledge. Jarchi and Aben Ezra transpose the words,
thus; "cease, my son, to err from the words of
"knowledge, to or that thou mayest hear instruction
and the latter makes mention of such an interpretation,
"cease, my son, from the words of knowledge, if thou
"wouldest hear instruction, and after that err :" that
is, better never hear and know at all, than to turn from
those doctrines and instructions; see 2 Pet. iS. 2O, 21.
Ver. 28. An ungodly witness scorneth judgment, &c.]
Or, a witness of Beliai {z}. A false witness is not awed
by the place of judgment where he is; nor by the judge
before whom he is; nor by the law, the rule of judg-
ment, nor by the punishment of perjury; he scorns
all these, and scoffs at them, and proceeds in bear-
ing a false testimony: or he covers that which is right
and just, and eludes judgment by specious and
sophistic arguments and pretences. Or this may be
understood of a false teacher, that scorns the-rule of
judgment, or colours over things, to make them plau-
sible, and seem to be agreeable to it. And the mouth
of the wicked devoureth iniquity; greedily, and with
pleasure commits it; as a hungry man' takes in his
food; or a thirsty man drinks down water: and in like
manner are false doctrines imbibed by men of perverse
minds.
Ver. 29. Judgments are prepared for scorners, &c.]
Either by the civil magistrate, or by the Lord, and in-
deed by both; and if they miss the one, they will cer-
tainly meet the other; though they mock at present
punishment and a future judgment, yet everlasting
fire is prepared for them, Matt. xxv. 41. .dud stripes
for the back o.f fools; as scorners are; which shall be
inflicted on them sooner or later; if they are not
stricken with the stripes of men, they shall endure the
strokes of divine justice and vengeance hereafter.

{x} \^Mrey\^ astutus efficietur, Pagninus, Montanus; astutus fiet,
Junius & Tremellius, Cocceius; astutior fiet, Michaelis; solertiam
parabit, Schultens.
{y} So Gejerus, Schultens.
{z} \^leylb de\^ testis Belijahal, Montanus, Tigurine version, Baynus.