Chapter 22:
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Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Psalms Ecclesiastes
Proverbs 22
Complete Concise
Verse 1
Here are two things which are more valuable and which we should
covet more than great riches:-1. To be well spoken of:
A name (that is,
a
good name, a name for good things with God and good people)
is rather to
be chosen than great riches; that is, we should be more careful to do that
by which we may get and keep a good name than that by which we may raise and
increase a great estate. Great riches bring great cares with them, expose men to
danger, and add no real value to a man. A fool and a knave may have
great
riches, but
a good name makes a man easy and safe, supposes a man
wise and honest, redounds to the glory of God, and gives a man a greater
opportunity of doing good. By great riches we may relieve the bodily wants of
others, but by a good name we may recommend religion to them. 2. To be well
beloved, to have an interest in the esteem and affections of all about us; this
is better
than silver and gold. Christ has neither silver nor gold, but
he
grew in favour with God and man, Lu. 2:52. This should teach us to
look with a holy contempt upon the wealth of this world, not to set our hearts
upon that, but with all possible care to
think of those things that are
lovely and of good report, Phil. 4:8.
Verse 2
Note, 1. Among the children of men divine Providence has so
ordered it that some are
rich and others
poor, and these are
intermixed in societies:
The Lord is the Maker of both, both the author
of their being and the disposer of their lot. The greatest man in the world must
acknowledge God to be his Maker, and is under the same obligations to be subject
to him that the meanest is; and the poorest has the honour to be the work of God's
hands as much as the greatest.
Have they not all one Father? Mal. 2:10;
Job 31:15. God makes some rich, that they may be charitable to the poor, and
others poor, that they may be serviceable to the rich; and they have need of one
another, 1 Co. 12:21. He make some poor, to exercise their patience, and
contentment, and dependence upon God, and others rich, to exercise their
thankfulness and beneficence. Even
the poor we
have always with
us; they shall never cease out of the land, nor the rich neither. 2.
Notwithstanding the distance that is in many respects between
rich and poor,
yet in most things they
meet together, especially before
the Lord,
who
is the Maker of them all, and
regards not the rich more than the
poor, Job 34:19.
Rich and poor meet together at the bar of God's
justice, all guilty before God, concluded under sin, and shapen in iniquity, the
rich as much as the poor; and they meet at the throne of God's grace; the poor
are as welcome there as the rich. There is the same Christ, the same scripture,
the same Spirit, the same covenant of promises, for them both. There is the same
heaven for poor saints that there is for rich: Lazarus is in the bosom of
Abraham. And there is the same hell for rich sinners that there is for poor. All
stand upon the same level before God, as they do also in the grave.
The small
and great are there.
Verse 3
See here, 1. The benefit of wisdom and consideration:
A
prudent man, by the help of his prudence, will
foresee an evil,
before it comes,
and hide himself; he will be aware when he is entering
into a temptation and will put on his armour and stand on his guard. When the
clouds are gathering for a storm he takes the warning, and flies to the name of
the Lord as his strong tower. Noah foresaw the deluge, Joseph the years of
famine, and provided accordingly. 2. The mischief of rashness and
inconsideration.
The simple, who believe every word that flatters them,
will believe none that warns them, and so they
pass on and are punished.
They venture upon sin, though they are told what will be in the end thereof;
they throw themselves into trouble, notwithstanding the fair warning given them,
and they repent their presumption when it is too late. See an instance of both
these, Ex. 9:20, 21. Nothing is so fatal to precious souls as this, they will
not take warning.
Verse 4
See here, 1. Wherein religion does very much consistin
humility
and the fear of the Lord; that is, walking humbly with God. We must so
reverence God's majesty and authority as to submit with all humility to the
commands of his word and the disposals of his providence. We must have such low
thoughts of ourselves as to behave humbly towards God and man. Where the fear of
God is there will be humility. 2. What is to be gotten by it
riches, and
honour, and comfort,
and long life, in this world, as far as God sees
good, at least spiritual
riches and honour in the favour of God, and the
promises and privileges of the covenant of grace,
and eternal
life
at last.
Verse 5
Note 1. The way of sin is vexatious and dangerous:
In the way
of the froward, that crooked way, which is contrary to the will and word of
God,
thorns and snares are found, thorns of grief for past sins and
snares entangling them in further sin. He that makes no conscience of what he
says and does will find himself hampered by that imaginary liberty, and
tormented by his pleasures. Froward people, who are soon angry, expose
themselves to trouble at every step. Every thing will fret and vex him that will
fret and vex at every thing. 2. The way of duty is safe and easy:
He that
keeps his soul, that watches carefully over his own heart and ways, is
far
from those
thorns and snares, for his way is both plain and pleasant.
Verse 6
Here is, 1. A great duty enjoined, particularly to those that
are the parents and instructors of children, in order to the propagating of
wisdom, that it may not die with them:
Train up children in that age of
vanity, to keep them from the sins and snares of it, in that learning age, to
prepare them for what they are designed for.
Catechise them; initiate
them; keep them under discipline.
Train them as soldiers, who are taught
to handle their arms, keep rank, and observe the word of command.
Train
them up, not in the way they would go (the bias of their corrupt hearts would
draw them aside), but
in the way they should go, the way in which, if you
love them, you would have them go.
Train up a child according as he is
capable (as some take it), with a gentle hand, as nurses feed children,
little and often, Deu. 6:7. 2. A good reason for it, taken from the great
advantage of this care and pains with children: When they
grow up, when
they
grow old, it is to be hoped, they
will not depart from it.
Good impressions made upon them then will abide upon them all their days.
Ordinarily the vessel retains the savour with which it was first seasoned. Many
indeed have departed from the good way in which they were trained up; Solomon
himself did so. But early training may be a means of their recovering
themselves, as it is supposed Solomon did. At least the parents will have the
comfort of having done their duty and used the means.
Verse 7
He had said (v. 2.),
Rich and poor meet together; but
here he finds, here he shows, that, as to the things of this life, there is a
great difference; for, 1. Those that have little will be in subjection to those
that have much, because they have dependence upon them, they have received, and
expect to receive, support from them:
The rich rule over the poor, and
too often more than becomes them, with pride and rigour, unlike to God, who,
though he be great, yet despises not any. It is part of the affliction of the
poor that they must expect to be trampled upon, and part of their duty to be
serviceable, as far as they can, to those that are kind to them, and study to be
grateful. 2. Those that are but going behindhand find themselves to lie much at
the mercy of those that are before hand:
The borrower is servant to the
lender, is obliged to him, and must sometimes beg,
Have patience with me.
Therefore it is part of Israel's promised happiness that they should lend and
borrow, Deu. 28:12. And it should be our endeavour to keep as much as may be out
of debt. Some sell their liberty to gratify their luxury.
Verse 8
Note 1. Ill-gotten gains will not prosper:
He that sows
iniquity, that does an unjust thing in hopes to get by it,
shall reap
vanity; what he gets will never do him any good nor give him any
satisfaction. He will meet nothing but disappointment. Those that create trouble
to others do but prepare trouble for themselves. Men shall reap as they sow. 2.
Abused power will not last. If the rod of authority turn into a
rod of anger,
if men rule by passion instead of prudence, and, instead of the public welfare,
aim at nothing so much as the gratifying of their own resentments, it
shall
fail and be broken, and their power shall not bear them out in their
exorbitances, Isa. 10:24, 25.
Verse 9
Here is, 1. The description of a charitable man; he has a
bountiful
eye, opposed to the evil eye (ch. 23:6) and the same with the
single eye
(Mt. 6:22),an eye that seeks out objects of charity, besides those that offer
themselves,an eye that, upon the sight of one in want and misery, affects the
heart with compassion,an eye that with the alms gives a pleasant look, which
makes the alms doubly acceptable. He has also a liberal hand:
He gives of his
bread to those that need
his bread, the bread appointed for his own
eating. He will rather abridge himself than see the poor perish for want; yet he
does not give all
his bread, but
of his bread; the poor shall have
their share with his own family. 2. The blessedness of such a man. The loins of
the poor will bless them, all about him will speak well of him, and God himself
will bless him, in answer to many a good prayer put up for him, and he
shall
be blessed.
Verse 10
See here, 1. What
the scorner does. It is implied that he
sows discord and makes mischief wherever he comes. Much of the
strife and
contention which disturb the peace of all societies is owing to
the evil
interpreter (as some read it), that construes every thing into the worst, to
those that despise and deride every one that comes in their way and take a pride
in bantering and abusing all mankind. 2. What is to be done with the scorner
that will not be reclaimed:
Cast him
out of your society, as
Ishmael, when he mocked Isaac, was thrust out of Abraham's family. Those that
would secure the peace must exclude the scorner.
Verse 11
Here is, 1. The qualification of an accomplished, a complete
gentleman, that is fit to be employed in public business. He must be an honest
man, a man
that loves pureness of heart and hates all impurity, not only
pure from all fleshly lusts, but from all deceit and dissimulation, from all
selfishness and sinister designs, that takes care to approve himself a man of
sincerity, is just and fair from principle, and delights in nothing more than in
keeping his own conscience clean and void of offence. He must also be able to
speak with a good grace, not to daub and flatter, but to deliver his sentiments
decently and ingeniously, in language clean and smooth as his spirit. 2. The
preferment such a man stands fair for:
The king, if he be wise and good,
and understand his own and his people's interest,
will be his friend,
will make him of his cabinet-council, as there was one in David's court, and
another in Solomon's, that was called the
king's friend; or, in any
business that he has, the king will befriend him. Some understand it of the King
of kings. A man
in whose spirit there is no guile, and whose speech is
always with grace, God will be his friend, Messiah, the Prince, will be his
friend.
This honour have all the saints.
Verse 12
Here is, 1. The special care God takes to
preserve knowledge,
that is, to keep up religion in the world by keeping up among men the knowledge
of himself and of good and evil, notwithstanding the corruption of mankind, and
the artifices of Satan to blind men's minds and keep them in ignorance. It is
a wonderful instance of the power and goodness of
the eyes of the Lord,
that is, his watchful providence. He preserves
men of knowledge, wise and
good men (2 Chr. 16:9), particularly faithful witnesses, who speak what they
know; God protects such, and prospers their counsels. He does by his grace
preserve
knowledge in such, secures his own work and interest in them. See Prov. 2:7,
8. 2. The just vengeance God takes on those that speak and act against knowledge
and against the interests of knowledge and religion in the world:
He
overthrows the words of the transgressor, and
preserves knowledge in
spite of him. He defeats all the counsels and designs of false and treacherous
men, and turns them to their own confusion.
Verse 13
Note, 1. Those that have no love for their business will never
want excuses to shake it off. Multitudes are ruined, both for soul and body, by
their slothfulness, and yet still they have something or other to say for
themselves, so ingenious are men in putting a cheat upon their own souls. And
who, I pray, will be the gainer at last, when the pretences will be all rejected
as vain and frivolous? 2. Many frighten themselves from real duties by imaginary
difficulties:
The slothful man has work to do
without in the
fields, but he fancies
there is a lion there; nay, he pretends he dares
not go along the streets for fear somebody or other should meet him and kill
him. He does not himself think so; he only says so to those that call him up. He
talks of
a lion without, but considers not his real danger from the
devil, that
roaring lion, which is in bed with him, and from his own
slothfulness, which kills him.
Verse 14
This is designed to warn all young men against the lusts of
uncleanness. As they regard the welfare of their souls, let them take heed of
strange
women, lewd women, whom they ought to be strange to, of
the mouth of
strange women, of the kisses of their lips (ch. 7:13), of the words of their
lips, their charms and enticements. Dread them; have nothing to do with them;
for, 1. Those who abandon themselves to that sin give proof that they are
abandoned of God: it
is a deep pit, which those
fall into that are
abhorred of the Lord, who leaves them to themselves to enter into that
temptation, and takes off the bridle of his restraining grace, to punish them
for other sins. Value not thyself upon thy being in favour with such women, when
it proclaims thee under the wrath of God. 2. It is seldom that they recover
themselves, for it
is a deep pit; it will be hard getting out of it, it
so besots the mind and debauches the conscience, by pleasing the flesh.
Verse 15
We have here two very sad considerations:-1. That corruption is
woven into our nature. Sin is
foolishness; it is contrary both to our
right reason and to our true interest. It
is in the heart; there is an
inward inclination to sin, to speak and act foolishly. It
is in the heart of
children; they bring it into the world with them; it is what they were
shapen and conceived in. It is not only
found there, but it is
bound
there; it is annexed to the heart (so some); vicious dispositions cleave closely
to the soul, are bound to it as the cion to the stock into which it is grafted,
which quite alters the property. There is a knot tied between the soul and sin,
a true lover's knot; they two became one flesh. It is true of ourselves, it is
true of our children, whom we have begotten in our own likeness.
O God! thou
knowest this
foolishness. 2. That correction is necessary to the cure
of it. It will not be got out by fair means and gentle methods; there must be
strictness and severity, and that which will cause grief. Children need to be
corrected, and kept under discipline, by their parents; and we all need to be
corrected by our heavenly Father (Heb. 12:6, 7), and under the correction we
must stroke down folly and kiss the rod.
Verse 16
This shows what evil courses rich men sometimes take, by which,
in the end, they will impoverish themselves and provoke God, notwithstanding
their abundance, to bring them to want; they
oppress the poor and give to the
rich. 1. They will not in charity relieve the poor, but withhold from them,
that by saving that which is really the best, but which they think the most
needless part of their expenses, they may
increase their riches; but they
will make presents
to the rich, and give them great entertainments,
either in pride and vain-glory, that they may look great, or in policy, that
they may receive it again with advantage. Such
shall surely come to want.
Many have been beggared by a foolish generosity, but never any by a prudent
charity. Christ bids us to invite the poor, Lu. 14:12, 13. 2. They not only will
not relieve
the poor, but they
oppress them, rob the spital,
extort from their poor tenants and neighbours, invade the rights of those who
have not wherewithal to defend themselves, and then
give bribes
to the
rich, to protect and countenance them in it. But it is all in vain; they
shall
come to want. Those that rob God, and so make him the enemy, cannot secure
themselves by
giving to the rich, to make them their friends.
Verses 17-21
Solomon here changes his style and manner of speaking. Hitherto,
for the most part, since the beginning of ch. 10, he had laid down doctrinal
truths, and but now and then dropped a word of exhortation, leaving us to make
the application as we went along; but here, to the end of ch. 24, he directs his
speech to his son, his pupil, his reader, his hearer, speaking as to a
particular person. Hitherto, for the most part, his sense was comprised in one
verse, but here usually it is drawn out further. See how Wisdom tries variety of
methods with us, lest we should be cloyed with any one. To awaken attention and
to assist our application the method of direct address is here adopted.
Ministers must not think it enough to preach before their hearers, but must
preach to them, nor enough to preach to them all in general, but should address
themselves to particular persons, as here: Do
thou do so and so. Here is,
I. An earnest exhortation to get wisdom and grace, by attending
to
the words of the wise men, both written and preached, the words of the
prophets and priests, and particularly to that
knowledge which Solomon in
this book gives men of good and evil, sin and duty, rewards and punishments. To
these
words, to this
knowledge, the ear must be
bowed down
in humility and serious attention and the heart
applied by faith, and
love, and close consideration. The ear will not serve without the heart.
II. Arguments to enforce this exhortation. Consider,
1. The worth and weight of the things themselves which Solomon
in this book gives us the
knowledge of. They are not trivial things, for
amusements and diversion, not jocular proverbs, to be repeated in sport and in
order to pass away time. No; they are
excellent things, which concern the
glory of God, the holiness and happiness of our souls, the welfare of mankind
and all communities; they are
princely things (so the word is), fit for
kings to speak and senates to hear; they are things that concern
counsels and
knowledge, that is, wise counsels, relating to the most important concerns;
things which will not only make us knowing ourselves, but enable us to advise
others.
2. The clearness of the discovery of these things and the
directing of them to us in particular. "They are
made known,
publicly known, that all may read,plainly known, that he that runs may read,
made
known this day more fully than ever before, in this day of light and
knowledge,
made known in this thy day. But it is only a little while
that this light is with thee; perhaps the things that are
this day made known
to thee, if thou improve not the day of thy visitation, may, before
to-morrow, be
hidden from thy eyes. They are
written, for the
greater certainty, and that they may be received and the more safely transmitted
pure and entire to posterity. But that which the emphasis is here most laid upon
is that they are
made known to thee, even to thee, and
written to
thee, as if it were a letter directed to thee by name. It is suited to thee
and to thy case; thou mayest in this glass see thy own face; it is intended for
thee, to be a rule to thee, and by it thou must be judged." We cannot say
of these things, "They are good things, but they are nothing to us;"
no, they are of the greatest concern imaginable to us.
3. The agreeableness of these things to us, in respect both of
comfort and credit. (1.) If we hide them in our hearts, they will be very
pleasing and yield us an abundant satisfaction (v. 18):
"It is a
pleasant thing, and will be thy constant entertainment,
if thou keep them
within thee; if thou digest them, and be actuated and governed by them, and
delivered into them as into a mould." The form of godliness, when that is
rested in, is but a force put upon a man, and he does but do penance in that
white clothing; those only that submit to the power of godliness, and make
heart-work of it, find the pleasure of it, ch. 2:10. (2.) If we make use of them
in our discourse, they will be very becoming, and gain us a good reputation.
They
shall be fitted in thy lips. "Speak of these things, and thou speakest
like thyself, and as is fit for thee to speak considering thy character; thou
wilt also have pleasure in speaking of these things as well as in thinking of
them."
4. The advantage designed us by them. The
excellent things
which God has
written to us are not like the commands which the master
gives his servant, which are all intended for the benefit of the master, but
like those which the master gives his scholar, which are all intended for the
benefit of the scholar. These things must be kept by us, for they are written to
us, (1.) That we may have a confidence in him and communion with him.
That
thy trust may be in the Lord, v. 19. We cannot trust in God except in the
way of duty; we are
therefore taught our duty, that we may have reason to
trust in God. Nay, this is itself one great duty we are to learn, and a duty
that is the foundation of all practical religion, to live a life of delight in
God and dependence on him. (2.) That we may have a satisfaction in our own
judgment:
"That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of
truth; that thou mayest know what is truth, mayest plainly distinguish
between it and falsehood, and mayest know upon what grounds thou receivest and
believest the truths of God." Note, [1.] It is a desirable thing to know,
not only
the words of truth, but
the certainty of them, that our
faith may be intelligent and rational, and may grow up to a full assurance. [2.]
The way to
know the certainty of the words of truth is to make conscience
of our duty; for,
if any man do his will, he shall know for certain that
the doctrine is of God, Jn. 7:17. (3.) That we may be useful and serviceable to
others for their instruction:
"That thou mayest give a good account
of
the words of truth to those that send to thee to consult thee as an oracle,"
or (as the margin reads it)
"to those that send thee, that employ
thee as an agent or ambassador in any business." Knowledge is given us to
do good with, that others may light their candle at our lamp, and that we may in
our place serve our generation according to the will of God; and those who make
conscience of keeping God's commandments will be best able to
give a reason
of the hope that is in them.
Verses 22-23
After this solemn preface, one would have expected something new
and surprising; but no; here is a plain and common, but very needful caution
against the barbarous and inhuman practices of oppressing poor people. Observe,
I. The sin itself, and that is
robbing the poor and
making them poorer, taking from those that have but little to lose and so
leaving them nothing. It is bad to rob any man, but most absurd to rob the poor,
whom we should relieve,to squeeze those with our power whom we should water
with our bounty,
to oppress the afflicted, and so to add affliction to
them,to give judgment against them, and so to patronise those that do rob
them, which is as bad as if we robbed them ourselves. Rich men will not suffer
themselves to be wronged; poor men cannot help themselves, and therefore we
ought to be the more careful not to wrong them.
II. The aggravations of the sin. 1. If their inability, by
reason of their poverty, to right themselves, embolden us to rob them, it is so
much the worse; this is
robbing the poor because he is poor; this is not
only a base and cowardly thing, to take advantage against a man because he is
helpless, but it is unnatural, and proves men worse than beasts. 2. Or, if it be
done under the colour of law and justice, that is oppressing
the afflicted in
the gate, where they ought to be protected from wrong and to have justice
done them against those that oppress them.
III. The danger that attends this sin. He that robs and
oppresses the poor does it at his peril; for, 1. The oppressed will find God
their powerful patron. He
will plead their cause, and not suffer them to
be run down and trampled upon. If men will not appear for them, God will. 2. The
oppressors will find him a just avenger. He will make reprisals upon them, will
spoil
the souls of those that spoil them; he will repay them in spiritual
judgments, in curses to their souls. He that robs the poor will be found in the
end a murderer of himself.
Verses 24-25
Here is, 1. A good caution against being intimate with a
passionate man. It is the law of friendship that we accommodate ourselves to our
friends and be ready to serve them, and therefore we ought to be wise and wary
in the choice of a friend, that we come not under the sacred tie to any one whom
it would be our folly to accommodate ourselves to. Thought we must be civil to
all, yet we must be careful whom we lay in our bosoms and contract a familiarity
with. And, among others, a man who is easily provoked, touchy, and apt to resent
affronts, who, when he is in a passion, cares not what he says or does, but
grows outrageous, such a one is not fit to be made a friend or companion, for he
will be ever and anon angry with us and that will be our trouble, and he will
expect that we should, like him, be angry with others, and that will be our sin.
2. Good cause given for this caution:
Lest thou learn his way. Those we
go with we are apt to grow like. Our corrupt hearts have so much tinder in them
that it is dangerous conversing with those that throw about the sparks of their
passion. We shall thereby
get a snare to our souls, for a disposition to
anger is a great snare to any man, and an occasion of much sin. He does not say,
"Lest thou have ill language given thee or get a broken head," but,
which is must worse, "Lest thou imitate him, to humour him, and so contract
an ill habit."
Verses 26-27
We have here, as often before, a caution against suretiship, as
a thing both imprudent and unjust. 1. We must not associate ourselves, nor
contract an intimacy, with men of broken fortunes, and reputations, who need and
will urge their friends to be bound for them, that they may cheat their
neighbours to feed their lusts, and by keeping up a little longer may do the
more damage at last to those that give them credit. Have nothing to do with
such; be not thou among them. 2. We must not cheat people of their money, by
striking
hands ourselves, or
becoming surety for others, when we
have not
to pay. If a man by the divine providence is disabled to pay his debts, he
ought to be pitied and helped; but he that takes up money or goods himself, or
is bound for another, when he knows that he has not wherewithal to pay, or that
what he has is so settled that the creditors cannot come at it, does in effect
pick his neighbour's pocket, and though, in all cases, compassion is to be
used, yet he may thank himself if the law have its course and his
bed be
taken
from under him, which might be taken for a pledge to secure a debt, Ex.
22:26, 27. For, if a man appeared to be so poor that he had nothing else to give
for security, he ought to be relieved, and it was honestly done to own it; but,
for the recovery of a debt, it seems it might be taken by the
summum jus
the
strict operation of law. 3. We must not ruin our own estates and families.
Every man ought to be just to himself and to his wife and children; those are
not so who live above what they have, who by the mismanagement of their own
affairs, or by encumbering themselves with debts of others, waste what they have
and bring themselves to poverty. We may
take joyfully the spoiling of our
goods if it be for the testimony of a good conscience; but, if be for our
own rashness and folly, we cannot but take it heavily.
Verse 28
1. We are here taught not to invade another man's right,
though we can find ways of doing it ever so secretly and plausibly,
clandestinely and by fraud, without any open force. Let not property in general
be entrenched upon, by robbing men of their liberties and privileges, or of any
just ways of maintaining them. Let not the property of particular persons be
encroached upon. The land-marks, or meer-stones, are standing witnesses to every
man's right; let not those be removed quite away, for thence come wars, and
fightings, and endless disputes; let them not be removed so as to take from thy
neighbour's lot to thy own, for that is downright robbing him and entailing
the fraud upon posterity. 2. We may infer hence that a deference is to be paid,
in all civil matters, to usages that have prevailed time out of mind and the
settled constitutions of government, in which it becomes us to acquiesce, lest
an attempt to change it, under pretence of changing it for the better, prove of
dangerous consequence.
Verse 29
Here is, 1. A plain intimation what a hard thing it is to find a
truly ingenious industrious man:
"Seest thou a man diligent in his
business? Thou wilt not see many such, so epidemical are dulness and
slothfulness." He is here commended who lays out himself to get business,
though it be but in a very low and narrow sphere, and is not easy when he is out
of business, who loves business, is quick and active in it, and goes through it,
not only with constancy and resolution, but with dexterity and expedition, a man
of despatch, who knows how to bring a deal of business into a little compass. 2.
A moral prognostication of the preferment of such a man; though now he
stands
before mean men, is employed by them and attends upon them, yet he will
rise, and is likely enough to
stand before kings, as an ambassador to
foreign kings or prime-minister of state to his own.
Seest thou a man
diligent in the business of religion? He is likely to excel in virtue, and
shall stand before the King of kings.
Chapter 22:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
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