"Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the war of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil."
The connexion of the fourteenth verse (Pro_4:14) with the thirteenth (Pro_4:13) is obvious and important. In the latter, youth are admonished in these terms-"Take fast hold of instruction." But one of the principal sources of temptation to "let instruction go," arises from the influence of evil company and example. Solomon was strongly impressed with this, knowing well the strength of corruption, and of the natural propensity to imitate evil rather than good. All who have, or ever have had, the charge of the young, must be aware of the natural predisposition to evil. Account for it as you will, the fact is beyond question, established by the recorded experience of all the thousands of years of the world's history. Were the original bent of our nature to good, the difficulty would be to persuade to evil. It would require the arts of temptation to insinuate an evil thought, to suggest an evil wish, to induce to the speaking of an evil word, or to the doing of an evil act. But the difficulty lies all on the other side. How very easy to teach a child to sin! It may be questioned, indeed, if it require teaching at all to lie, to steal, to cheat, to swear; to be proud, and selfish, and vindictive; to pursue the world, and to disregard and forget God. How difficult the reverse! What unremitting vigilance is demanded, in instructing, admonishing, persuading, expostulating, correcting, plying all the arts of fear and love, in "training a child in the way wherein he should go!" Sin is a contagious distemper, of which there is a predisposition in the moral constitution of our fallen nature to catch the infection. Parents are solicitous, and dutifully solicitous, to keep their children from exposure to the contact of bodily disease. O how much more anxiously should they dread their exposure to the contagion of sin, and worldliness, and folly! They may well adopt, with affectionate earnestness, the terms of dissuasive expostulation in these verses-" Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away."* The language is strong; but to none who know the amount of the danger, will it appear at all stronger than the case warrants. It implies an intense propensity in youth to be self confident-to see no danger-to flatter itself with its possessing sufficient powers of resistance-to resolve on showing this, and to please itself with the thought of cheating the grave prognostications, and mortifying the timid wisdom, of its greybeard counsellors. Many a youth has lived to repent his adventurous self-ignorance and fool-hardiness. Sin is like a whirlpool. He who once ventures within the circle of its eddying waters, in the self-sufficient assurance that he may go a certain length, and then turn, at his pleasure, and stem the current back, may feel the fancied strength of the sinews of his moral resolution but weakness in the moment of need, and may-nay almost certainly will, be borne on further and further, till, all power of resistance failing, he is carried round and round with increasing celerity, and sucked into the central gulf of irrecoverable perdition!
* Comp. Pro_1:10; Pro_1:15; Pro_2:10-12.
The reason of the previous caution is assigned in verses Pro_4:16-17-"For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence."
What a contrast between the good man and the evil! When a good man falls into sin, overcome by temptation, his mind is wretched. He cannot bear himself His crime continues to haunt him by day, and to give him a wakeful and restless couch by night. And when he forms and matures a benevolent plan for the welfare of others, and fails in it, his wishes being frustrated by the slighting of his counsels and the refusal of his aid, he cannot sleep for regret and vexation. He sighs over the folly and infatuation which "forsakes its own mercies." What a shocking and odious character the converse of this, here brought before us! of the bad man-the man who desires and watches for opportunities of evil, who prefers them to the very repose of his weary nature, and even to its necessary sustenance!-who forms schemes of mischief for his fellows, seeks their execution with restless impatience, and, when these schemes are frustrated, can "find no sleep to his eyes nor slumber to his eyelids!"-mortified pride, disappointed avarice, unappeased resentment, unsatisfied ambition, and the fretfulness of distracted and conflicting passions, scaring away from them "tired nature's sweet restorer," and depriving them of their appetite for their daily food! The meaning of the latter of these two verses evidently is, that the bread these "evil men" eat is the product of their wicked practices, and the wine they drink, of their injustice and rapacity. "They make their violence and deceit bear the expenses of their voluptuousness." It is not that the wine produces the violence, any more than that the bread produces the wickedness; but that they live by wrong, getting what they eat and what they drink by wicked and violent dealing. Surely these words teach us the correctness of the psalmist's estimate, "A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked."
Solomon proceeds to place in contrast the present condition and the end of both:-verses Pro_4:18-19. "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble."
The image in the former verse is a very beautiful one. We have before us the feeble glimmerings of the morning dawn, gradually brightening, dispelling the lingering shadows, tinging the eastern clouds and the mountain tops, till at length the risen sun pours the fullness of his gladdening light upon the earth, and thence mounts the heavens with increasing intensity of brilliance, till he reaches the meridian of his glory. Such is "the path of the just"-the progress of "the good man," from the time of his conversion to the close of his life and his entrance on eternity. Light is emblematic of knowledge, holiness, and joy. The three bear invariable proportion to each other,-holiness springing from knowledge, and joy from both-joy spiritual and endless. "The entrance of God's word giveth light." The entrance of this light into the mind is often, like the early dawn, feeble, glimmering, uncertain. But when it is the real "light of life" from the Spirit of God, it does not abide so; it increases gradually from the moment of its entrance. He who is "enlightened from above" is eager for more of the blessed light. He thirsts for knowledge, and is on the alert to obtain it. He derives growing information from the works and ways, but most especially from the word of God; and reads all these volumes of divine discovery with new eyes.
Then, with growth in knowledge there is growth in holiness. At the first dawn of spiritual light, some faint desires are felt after God and sanctity. These progressively increase, as the experience increases of the peace of them who love God's law; and they show their influence in the increase of practical godliness. The renewed sinner receives his fight from the "Sun of righteousness," and he reflects the light with a growing purity and brilliance. The "beauty of holiness" thus expands and brightens in the character, "shining more and more." Perfection itself remains as the attainment of a future and higher state of being. There is the zenith of the believer's glory, of the advancing light of his holy conformity to Him who "is light, and in whom there is no darkness at all." From that highest point in his heavenly course he shall never go down, never lose one ray of his splendour.
With the progress of knowledge and holiness happiness keeps pace. Every gladdening and delightful association is connected with the image before us-" the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." The sun emerging from the east, is likened to a "bridegroom coming out of his chamber," and to a "strong man rejoicing to run a race."-Joy is both the duty and the privilege of the believer. It is the natural attendant of spiritual illumination and inward purity. This joy too is progressive. Like the sun in every stage of his diurnal course, it may be subject to the overcasting of occasional clouds. But as the sun appears the brighter on his emerging from behind the cloudy veil, so the trials of the just, the darkening shadows that come over them, serve to give lustre to their virtues. They promote their experimental knowledge of God and of themselves, of temporal and spiritual things; and thus they promote their real happiness even on earth. And when they reach their meridian altitude, no cloud shall ever intercept their light. No shadow shall ever for a moment obscure the radiance of their joy. Their felicity shall be perfect, undisturbed, and unending.
On the contrary-verse Pro_4:19. "The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble." Darkness is, as an image, the opposite of light. It represents ignorance, unholiness, and misery. An awful compound! Yet such is the way of "the wicked," in the eye of God, and of all holy creatures. All is darkness-behind them, around them, before them. There is no light on which they can look back with pleasure; none to which they can look forward with hope. There is a sense, indeed, in which they are lights. But they are false lights-lights that "lead to bewilder"-meteors, that, when pursued, sink in darkness, and add to the gloom in which those who follow them are enveloped, when they have wandered still further astray in the pursuit. And this darkness increases, till, shadow after shadow deepening and accumulating upon it, it terminates at length in "the blackness of darkness for ever!" Thus there is a progress downward as well as upward-a progress to perfect night as well as to perfect day.
The way of the wicked being "as darkness," implies at once its cheerlessness and its danger. They "know not at what they stumble." There are obstacles and perils in their path at every step. The very next movement may throw them over a stone or into a pit; and, as every step in life may be the last, they are at every step in peril of sinking into the pit of woe itself, where "their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
Such considerations may well enforce attention to what follows in verses Pro_4:20-22. "My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh."
The terms of the twenty-first verse may be compared, for illustration, with those in Deu_6:6; Deu_6:8-" And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes." Amongst the Jews, there was a sad propensity to take the latter injunction literally and externally. Hypocrites and formalists satisfied themselves with having little scraps of the law written on parchment, and actually worn as frontlets upon the forehead. But this was a delusion. The laws of God are never rightly "before the eyes," unless they are "in the heart." The meaning of the former clause of the verse is, that the commandments of God should be kept constantly in view, as the guides of the whole conduct. And this will be the case, when they are "kept in the midst of the heart." The expression implies the cherishing towards them of a cordial attachment-loving them, delighting in them, and ever cultivating a sincere and earnest desire after conformity to them.
The motive to compliance with the injunction, in verse Pro_4:22, we have had repeatedly before us:-" For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh."
"Health" in the Hebrew means medicine: and beyond question, the tendency of sobriety, temperance, and regularity of behaviour, is to the possession of health in the best definition of it-a sound mind in a sound body. But the phrase seems intended to convey the idea of general prosperity and blessing; comfort and enjoyment.*
* Comp. Pro_3:8; Pro_12:18; Jer_33:6.
The next verse contains a most important admonition-"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."
In the animal system, the heart is the fountain of life to the whole body. Thence the vital fluid, the red arterial blood, is propelled to the remotest extremities and the minutest parts. In the physical economy, therefore, a great deal must and does depend on the healthy state, and regular and efficient action, of this central organ.-In the moral system, the heart is the term employed for the affections, of which it is regarded, from whatever cause, as the seat. And there is an analogy between the action of the heart in the physical, and the exercise of the affections in the moral economy. As the healthy action of the former affects the vitality and vigour of the entire corporeal frame, so does the well-regulated exercise of the latter, influence the entire character of the moral agent. To the heart, accordingly, all the good or evil in the deportment of the life is ever traced-as to the fountain, whether of sweet waters or bitter-as to the tree, whether bearing good fruit or bad.* The natural character of the heart is given in few but emphatic terms-" Enmity against God," Rom_8:7. This being its character, it needs to be renewed.
* Mar_7:21-33. See Luk_6:43-45.
Its leading and comprehensive principles of action must be reversed. Enmity must be changed into love. This is conversion. This is being "born again." It is the work of God's quickening Spirit.
Even the renewed heart requires the. Exercise of an unceasingly jealous vigilance. Hence the injunction, verse Pro_4:24-"Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee."
In counteracting the power of the "law of sin in the members," we need the constant aid of the Holy Spirit. But the influence of the Spirit is never to be understood as superseding our own watchfulness and diligence; any more than our "living and moving and having our being in God," renders unnecessary our taking the requisite aliment, and attending to the care of our health. In the animal system, the heart would soon cease its action, and the body decay and die, unless food were supplied to the organs of digestion, and vital air inhaled into the lungs;-by the former of which the means of secreting the blood are furnished, while by the latter its purity is successively restored as it returns from its nutritive circuit to the fountain whence it issued. So, if we would keep the moral affections in healthy action, we must feed on "the bread of life," and breathe the air of heaven. We must avoid error, and live upon truth. It is thus that the affections are to be kept vigorous and pure. It is thus that the spiritual life is to be maintained in its active vitality-its efficient and influential energy. But the language implies the exercise of an unremitting jealousy over every propensity to sin, and especially the "sin that may most easily beset us." It implies also a close attention to the motives of all our words and actions. The reason assigned for vigilance over the heart is, that "out of it are the issues of life." As the fountain is, so will be the streams. But this is not the only reason. "While the issues of the life indicate the state of the spring from which they proceed, the state of the spring itself is that which constitutes the character, and that to which God looks. As the heart is, so in God's estimate is the man. It is the state of the heart that with Him decides the character. The true character indeed of every word and every action-of all that is external, depends on the inward impulse; on the principle, the motive, the disposition in the heart.
One description of "the issues of life" is then specified in verse Pro_4:24. "Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee."
It is true that vigilance over the heart is vigilance over the tongue, inasmuch as "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." But there is need for particular specification of evils to be sedulously shunned; and of none have we; in general, more need to be reminded than the evils of the tongue. "A froward mouth," is a mouth not subject to control; a mouth that gives utterance, with proud self-will and scorn of restraint, to the dictates of a rebellious spirit-an unsubdued, unsanctified mind.*1 Beware of imagining that there is little evil in mere words. There is no surer index of the state of the "inner man." As is the conversation so is the heart.*2
*1 See Psa_12:3-4; and compare it with Eph_4:29; Jam_1:26; Jam_3:2-10.
*2 See Mat_12:34-37.
The admonition that follows is one of first-rate importance-verse Pro_4:25. "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee."
What is in these terms specially inculcated is, simplicity of principle and aim; singleness of motive; an upright unswerving regard to duty. The path of duty is one. It is narrow and straight. On it the eye should constantly and steadily be set-looking "right on;" not to any seducing objects that present themselves on the one hand or on the other. Many things may allure-may hold out tempting seductions from the onward path. Many other paths may appear more smooth, more easy, and, in all respects, for the time more desirable; but the one and only question must ever be, What is duty?
Verse Pro_4:26. To "ponder the path of the feet," means to consider it well. It should be "pondered," by the word of God-whether it is in accordance with its directions; whether it be in harmony with our obligations to God and to our fellow-creatures. The latter part of the verse may be regarded as expressing the result of the pondering, "All thy ways shall be established;" "all thy ways shall be ordered aright." And such regard implies discretion, inquiry, examination, and prayer.*
* See Pro_3:5-6.
The path "pondered" there must be a subsequent resolute practical adherence to it:-verse Pro_4:27. "Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil."
Nothing must be allowed either to draw or to drive you from the good way; neither prosperity nor adversity, riches nor poverty, love of friends nor fear of enemies, hope of good nor apprehension of evil; or in the terms of the apostle, "neither tribulation, nor distress, nor persecution, nor famine, nor nakedness, nor peril, nor sword,"-"neither life nor death, nor angels, nor principalities nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature"-any thing else in the universe that may be imagined to possess any power of temptation.
The proper improvement of the whole passage is, in the simple but significant words of the Redeemer, "IF YE KNOW THESE THINGS, HAPPY BE YE IF YE DO THEM."
