Bible Commentaries

Proverbs 14:16 — and departeth from evil. — He trembleth at the judgments while they hang in the threatenings, meets God with entreaties of peace, and so redeems his own sorrows. Solo auditu contremisco, saith Jerome, speaking of that terrible text, Ezekiel 16:42: "I tremble at the very hearing of it." So Erasmus, repeating those words, "His blood will I require at thy hands"; Ezekiel 3:18 these, saith he, are fulmina, non verba - not words, but thunderbolts. A good child, if but threatened

Proverbs 21:26 — their carcases fell in the wilderness; their sluggishness slew them. "They lusted and had not, they killed" themselves with coveting, as in the former verse, and "desired to have," as here, "but could not obtain." James 4:2 But the righteous giveth and spareth not. — Neither necessity nor niggardice hindereth him; he hath it, and he holds that he hath no more than he giveth. He is both painful and pitiful, and what he cannot do for the poor himself, he stirs up

Proverbs 21:27 — did. Numbers 23:1-2 As those that present ex rapine holocaustum, a sacrifice of what they have got by rapine and robbery; and as those likewise that ask good things at God’s hand, that they may "consume them upon their lusts." James 4:3 Let the wicked bring his sacrifice with never so good an intention, he is an abomination; but if with an evil mind, his dissembled sanctity is double iniquity, as if a man think by observing the Sabbath to take out a license to walk licentiously all

Proverbs 23:29 — who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? — Whoredom is usually ushered in by drunkenness. Est Venus in vinis. It is Venus in the wines. Hence, Revelation 17:4 the whore cometh forth with a "cup," as with an instrument fit for the fulfilling of her lust; even as of old every one did openly bear in his hand at Rome the badge of that art that he professed. Solomon therefore having warned his young

Proverbs 25:14 — nephew, of whom it is recorded that the one never spoke as he thought, the other never performed what he spoke; lastly, as the devil who promised Christ excelsa in excelsis, mountains on a mountain, and said, "All this will I give thee," Matthew 4:9 whenas that all was just nothing more than a show, a representation, a semblance, or if it had been something, yet it was not his to give; for "the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof." Physicians call their drugs Dοσεις

Proverbs 31:10 — Paul came first to Philippi, few or none came to hear him but women, Acts 6:13 but they drew on their husbands, and it soon became a famous church. What a rare piece was Priscilla, who better instructed Apollos, ventured her life for Paul, Romans 16:4 and was such a singular help to her husband that she is mentioned before him as the more forward of the two. Romans 16:3 Like as was also Manoah’s wife, Judges 13:24-25 and Nazianzen’s mother. Solomon’s mother was behind none of them,

Proverbs 6:18 — be swift. — As if they should come too late. This is a foul abuse of the locomotive faculty given us by God for better purpose, that we should be "swift to hear," James 1:19 "run to and fro to increase knowledge," Daniel 12:4 walk in the way that is called holy, "go from strength to strength," Psalms 84:7 taking long strides towards heaven. Those, then, that walk in a contrary road, and make all possible haste to heap up sin upon sin, must needs be abominated and

Proverbs 6:29 — wanton touches and dalliance! Sit not at all with another man’s wife; sit not down upon the bed with her, saith Siracides (chap. 9). Christ’s disciples marvelled that he talked with the woman of Samaria, solus cum sola, - saith Beza. John 4:27 But he might do that which we must beware of lest concupiscence kindle. Abraham might see Sodom burning, but Lot might not look that way. Shall not be innocent. — Shall not be held so, howsoever he shall suffer in his name, be he never so honest

Proverbs 6:4 — "other men’s sins" good Lord deliver me! If we are so to humble ourselves to our fellow creatures in this case, how much more should we "humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may lift us up in due season!" James 4:10 If this is to be done without delay, where the danger reacheth but to the outward man, how much more speed and earnestness should be used in making peace with God, whose wrath is a fire that burns as low as hell, and getting the black lines of our

Isaiah 1:27 — Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness. Zion shall be redeemed in judgment. — Or, By judgment executed on her enemies, who are also God’s enemies. Isaiah 1:24 And her converts. — Such as were Manasseh, made of a lion a lamb; Matthew, of a publican an evangelist; Paul, of a Pharisee an apostle; Justin, of a philosopher a martyr; Cyprian, of a rhetorician, and, as some think, a magician, a most famous

Isaiah 30:7 — on, a very magnum nihil. Therefore have I cried. — But could not get audience. Their strength is to sit still. — To bide at home, and "behold the salvation of the Lord"; for the prophet here seemeth to relate to that in Exodus 14:14 . "Contented godliness is great gain," saith the apostle, 1 Timothy 6:6 and quiet godliness is great strength, saith the prophet here. "Their strength is to sit still." As good sit still, saith our English proverb, as rise and

Jeremiah 12:1 — Anathothites do, while I go in danger of my life by them. This is that noble question which hath exercised the wits and molested the minds of many wise men, both within and without the Church. See Job 21:7-13 Psalms 37:1 ; Psalms 73:1-12 Habakkuk 1:4-5 ; Plato, Cicero, Seneca, Epictetus, Claudian against Ruffin, … Wherefore are all they happy? — Heb., At ease. Not all either; for some wicked have their payment here, their hell aforehand. To this question the Lord, who knoweth our frame,

Ezekiel 11:19 — for substance, but altered in the frame, renewed in the qualities thereof. Mark 16:17 They shall "speak with new tongues"; so we read of a "new song"; the strings are the same, but the tune is changed. See Psalms 51:12 Ephesians 4:23 2 Corinthians 5:17 . And I will take away the stony heart. — Extraham, say the Septuagint. I will draw or pull it out, which none can do but the hand of Heaven. God only can make the flinty heart fleshly, that is, sensible, soft, pliant, penetrable,

Ezekiel 18:20 — righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father. — The innocent son shall not, unless it be in temporals only, and that in some cases. Deuteronomy 24:16 2 Kings 14:6 2 Chronicles 15:4 It was the cruel manner of Uladus, prince of Valachia, together with the offender, to execute the whole family, yea, sometimes the whole kindred. Turkish History. A like cruelty was used in Scotland by the Pope’s

Ezekiel 3:18 — the wicked, say. And thou givest him not warning. — Heb., Non expolieris; Gr., Non distinxeris; if thou do not distinctly and clearly warn him, seeking to rub off his rust, and to make his soul clear and circumspect. as Psalms 19:12 Ecclesiastes 4:13 To save his life. — That "iniquity may not be his ruin." Sin hales hell at the heels of it. But his blood will I require at thine hand. — These are fulmina, non verba, not words, but thunderbolts, saith Erasmus. This sentence

Ezekiel 46:1 — thy work. Neither doth this hinder holiness, as the abbey lubbers pretend, but further it: (1.) By preventing temptation; (2.) By nourishing experience of God’s bounty and providence; (3.) By filling the heart with objects of heavenly thoughts; (4.) By stirring up to prayer and praise for each day’s mercies. But on the Sabbath it shall be opened. — That the people may see Christ in the glass of the ceremonies, and call upon his name. We under the gospel have a clearer light and free

Daniel 10:6 — his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. His body also was like the beryl. — Of an azure colour, like the heavens. The "second Adam is the Lord from heaven." 1 Corinthians 15:47 Some render it the chrysolite, which is of the colour of the sea; to note, say they, his power to purge the Church by his Word, Spirit, and judgments, as by the water of the sea. And his face as the appearance of lightning. — Which both shineth

Daniel 11:16 — commendation! Which by his hand shall be consumed. — God’s Church goes to wreck, both by south and north; all the comfort is, that whether north or south wind blow on God’s garden, they shall blow good to it at length. Song of Solomon 4:16

Daniel 12:7 — Church shall be at the greatest under, when the number of the elect shall be consummated, and they sorely afflicted by the devil and his agents, then shall Christ appear to their relief, as it were, out of an engine. See 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12 1 Timothy 4:1-3 Revelation 6:12-17

Joel 1:17 — thirdly, extreme drought after all, Joel 1:19-20 . Thus God followeth sinners with one plague in the neck of another (as he did Pharaoh, that sturdy rebel), till he have made his foes his footstools. To multiply sin is to multiply sorrow, Psalms 16:4 ; to heap up wickedness is to heap up wrath, Romans 2:5 . "I will heap mischiefs upon them," saith God; "I will spend mine arrows upon them," Deuteronomy 32:23 , which yet cannot be all spent up, as Ovid feared of his Jupiter, that