CHAP. XVIII. 23, 24. 301
23. The poor useth entreaties: but the rich answereth roughly.*
It is natural to the poor, sensible of their dependence, to use entreaties.
And this humiliation may be the discipline for that poverty of spirit,
which the Lord sealed with his first blessing. (Matt. v. 3.) Yet shame
is it to the rich, that he should often answer these entreaties roughly. In-
stead of the kindly feelings flowing out, he seems to be bound against
them with iron chains. He hears with indifference the tale of woe;
and having never himself tasted the bitter bread, he has no heart of
sympathy and helpfulness. The well-bred man of the world, who is all
courtesy and refinement in his own circle, to those under his feet is often
insufferably rude and unfeeling. His good breeding indeed is often
only the polish of selfishness. The proud worm knows so little the
true use of his power, that the exercise of it only transforms him into a
tyrant. Instead of scattering his blessings around, he only makes him-
self feared and hated by his misused responsibility. (1 Sam. xxv. 17.)
Would he but study the character of his Divine Master, he would see
the exercise of power enlivened with true greatness. Was he not as
considerate to blind Bartimeus, as to the nobleman of Capernaum?
(Mark, x. 49. John, v. 48.) All ranks alike shared in his tenderest
sympathy.
And yet, as the rich in their conscious superiority may be over-
bearing, so the poor, in using their entreaties, may shew a servile,
crouching spirit (1 Sam. 11. 36), shrinking from that bold integrity of
character, which gives dignity alike to the lowest as to the highest of
men. To all of us our Providential circumstances bring their besetting
temptations. Close walking with God is our only safeguard.
But surely the rich, in his rough answering of the poor, would do well
to consider, how much more dependent is he upon his God, than his
meanest brother is upon himself! And when he comes before his God,
must he not then wear the garb of poverty, though he be a king (Ps. xl.
17; lxxxvi. 1); using entreaties, not advancing claims? Yes -all of
us alike are poor before the throne of grace. All of us must use en-
treaties here. Yet when does our gracious Father answer his poor sup-
pliant child roughly; except as he wisely disciplines his faith, while his
heart is full of yearning parental love towards him? (Matt. xv. 26.
Comp. Gen. xlii. 6,1.)
24. A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a
friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
To be without a friend, marks a state of painful desolation. (Ps.
lxxxviii. 18.) On the other hand, a true friend is no common acquisi-
tion. (Chap. xvii. 17.) There are many pretensions, many professions,
* This and the succeeding verse are omitted in LXX.
302 EXPOSITION OF THE BOOK OF PROVERBS.
of friendship. But the jewel itself is as rare as it is precious. Yet what
is life without this cheering, enriching blessing? Kings have left
awhile their royalties for its enjoyment. (Ps. Iv. 14.) To Alexander the
conquered world without his Hephæstion would have been a wilder-
ness.* But if a man hath friends, and would keep them, he must shew
himself friendly. To throw them away by neglect, caprice, unreason-
able disgust, or needless offence, is to shew himself utterly unworthy of
the blessing. Observe Ruth and Naomi -each with warm reciprocity
of interest laying herself out for the other.l David practically acknow-
ledged the kindness of his friends in distress.2 The Apostle dealt most
delicately with his friend's wounded sensibility,3 and manifested the
most considerate care for his companion's comforts.4 It is by such kind
offices that the bond is mutually cemented. A man having friends shews
himself friendly. Love begets love, and is accompanied with love.5
Not that this will shew itself in extravagant professions, or lavish
praise, gratifying to the weak, but revolting to an intelligent, mind.
The true expression will be in that unmistakable integrity, which at
once shews the man, and makes the Christian shine.
Thus we shall take care to base our friendship upon the true founda-
tion. Otherwise it may be snapped asunder by the veriest trifle, or it
may become idolatrous love, usurping God's place in the heart. San-
guine and affectionate dispositions are much exposed to sudden fancies
and mistaken impressions. But the charm is broken by the cold
return or empty professions of the misplaced love; and the illusion is
swept away in humbling disappointment. Wise men will refrain from
the choice of many bosom friends, or involving a multiplication of
duties, and too often of entangling difficulties.
The bond of real friendship is often closer than the natural tie.
“The friend is as one's own soul.” (Deut. xiii. 6.) Such was Jonathan
unto David -a friend that sticketh closer than a brother† -tender and
sympathizing, while his brother was fraught with unkind suspicion.‡
He dared the deadly displeasure of his father by open adherence, while
his wife shewed her love at the expense of his name.6 Hiram's cordial
kindness to Solomon, contrasts with his brother's unjust endeavour to
1 Ruth. i, 16; ii. 11, 18, with iii. 1-14, 16; iv. 16. 2 1 Sam. xxx. 26-31.
3 Philem. 8-20. 4 Tit. iii. 13. 5 Comp. Ecclus. xxii. 25.
6 1 Sam. xviii. 20, 28; xix. 12-17, with xx. 24-33.
* . . . . Friendship's the wine of life.
A friend is worth all hazards we can run.
Poor is the friendless master of a world:
A world in purchase for a friend is gain.-YOUNG.
† Bishop Coverdale's version is very beautiful -‘a friend that delighteth in love, doth a
man more friendship, and sticketh faster unto him than a. brother.’
‡ 1 Sam. xvii. 28, with xviii. 3; xix. 2-4. 2 Sam. i. 26. It is interesting to observe the
reciprocity with one exception (2 Sam. xvi. 1-4) on David's part to the end of life, 2 Sam.
ix. 1; xxi. 7.
CHAP. XVIII. 24. 303
keep him from the throne.1 Job's friends, notwithstanding their harsh
misconceptions, abode fast with the afflicted sufferer, when his wife
and family were “strange to him.”2. And do we not remember, that
when the brethren of Jesus shrunk from the near position to his cross,
“there stood by the cross the disciple whom Jesus loved,” gladly receiv-
ing from his lips the sacred deposit of his bereaved mother? (John,
xix. 25-27.) Even natural minds of a high tone of feeling may exhibit
this strength of friendship. But its surest bond is that, which unites
the whole family of God. The identity of sanctified taste; sympathy of
experience; holy consecration for mutual helpfulness; above all-
union as Members of one body to one Head -hence flow magnetic
attraction, heavenly, Divine friendship.
But where shall we find the complete filling-up of this exquisite
picture, except in Him, who became our Brother, that he might cleave
to us closer than a brother in tenderness and help? (Heb. ii. 11, 14-18.)
Let his people bear witness, whether he be not the greatest, best, most
loving, most disinterested and faithful of friends. Truly he “loveth at
all times.” He is a friend to them that have no other friend; to those
who have been his bitterest enemies; a friend who abides, when all
others have passed away. Mark him as a present friend, known and
tried, able to enter into all that most deeply affects us; in temptation
opening, when needed, “a way of escape;”3 in affliction cheering with
the Divine Comforter;4 “in sickness making our bed;”5 in death
sustaining us by “his rod and staff;”6 in eternity “receiving us to
himself.”7 What brother sticketh so close as he, esteeming himself more
honoured, the more we lean upon him, “having no confidence in the
flesh?”
And then, looking on the objects of his love;8 its freeness;9 its
costliness;10 its perseverance notwithstanding all the discouragements
of our perverseness and folly;11 “loving us to the end,”* as parts and
members of himself -how can we duly honour this our faithful, tender,
unchanging, unchangeable friend? Are there none, who boast of their
faithfulness to the creature, who yet have no sympathy with this
Divine friendship, no reciprocal affection to this surpassing friend?
Will not our very sensibilities condemn our indifference? For what
stronger proof can there be of their depravity and disorder, than that
they should be flowing to the creature-objects, cold and dead to the
Divine Friend? Oh! let him be the first choice of youth, the tried and
chosen Friend of maturing age, the Friend for eternity! Cultivate a
1 1 Kings, v. with i. 5. 2 Job, ii. 11-13, with xix. 13-17.
3 1 Cor. x. 13. 4 John, xiv. 17, 18. 5 Ps, xli 3.
6 Ps. xxiii. 4; 7 John, xiv, 3; xvii. 24. 8 Rom, v. 8.
9 John, vi. 37. 10 Ib, xv, 13. 1 John, iii, 16.
11 Isa. xlii. 4. Hos. xi. 7,8. Mal. Iii. 16.
* John, xiii. 1. See the beautiful Hymn in O1ney Collection, B, i. 53.
304 EXPOSITION OF THE BOOK OF PROVERBS.
closer acquaintance with him. Set the highest value upon his friend-
ship. Live a life of joyous confidence on his all-sufficiency and love
Make him the constant subject of conversation. Avoid whatever is
displeasing to him. Be found in those places where he meeteth his
people. (Isa. lxiv. 5.) Long to be with him for ever. Thus testify
all around- “This is my beloved, and this is my friend.” (Cant. V. 16.)
Is it not because men have no eyes to see him, that they have no heart
to love him? Were but the eyes really opened, they would soon affect
the heart; and all would be for him in entire devotedness of service.
CHAPTER XIX.
1. Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in
his lips, and is a fool.*
POVERTY is never a disgrace, except when it is the fruit of ill-conduct.
But when adorned with godly integrity, it is most honourable. Better
is the poor man, than he whom riches lift up in his own eyes, and he is
given up to his perverseness and folly. (Chap. xxviii. 6.) Often man
puts under his feet those, whom God lays in his bosom. He honours
the perverse for their riches, and despises the poor for their poverty.
‘But what hath the rich, if he hath not God? And what
is a poor man, if he hath God?’ Better be in a wilderness with
God, than in Canaan without him.† Was not Job on the dung-
hill, walking in his integrity, better than ungodly Ahab on the throne?
(J ob, ii. 7, 8.) Was not Lazarus in his rags better than Dives with his
“fine linen and sumptuous fare?” (Luke, xvi. 19-21.) Calculate wisdom
by God's standard, who judges not by station, but by character. Esti-
mate things in the light of eternity. How soon will all accident dis-
tinctions pass away, and personal distinctions alone avail! Death will
strip the poor of his rags, and the rich of his purple, and bring them
both “naked to the earth, from whence they came.” (Job, i. 21. Eccles.
xii. 7.) Meanwhile let us hear our Lord's voice to his despised people
- “I know thy poverty; but thou art rich.” (Rev. ii. 9.) How glorious
the stamp upon the outcast professors walking in their integrity –“Of
whom the world was not worthy!” (Heb. xi. 37, 38.) For such is pre-
pared “the honour that cometh from God only” -his seal, his smiles,
and his everlasting crown.
2. Also that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that
hasteth with his feet sinneth.
Also -seems to trace the fool's perverse ways to their source. His
* This and the following verse are omitted in LXX.
† Bishop REYNOLDS on 1 Tim. vi. 17-19.
CHAP. XIX. 2. 305
soul is without knowledge. Ignorance gives perpetuity to folly. Know-
ledge is valuable even to the mind. It expands and sharpens its
reasoning powers, and, when rightly directed, preserves from many
besetting temptations. ‘Be assured’ -says a late eloquent Preacher
- ‘it is not because the people know much, that they ever become the
willing subjects of any factious or unprincipled demagogue. It is just
because they know too little. It is just because ignorance is the field,
on which the quackery of a political impostor ever reaps its most
abundant harvest.’* Knowledge also opens much wholesome enjoy-
ment. The intelligent poor are preserved in their home-comforts from
the temptations of the ale-house. The most educated are raised above
the frivolities of dissipation. Thus both classes are restrained from the
sensualities of ungodliness.
But much more that the soul made for God, should be without know-
ledge, is not good. The blessing is not merely expansion of mind, or
restraint of evil, but light and life eternal. (John, xvii. 3.) Without it,
all is thick darkness -the darkness of death. Man has no directory for
his ways. He knows not “how to walk and to please God.” He knows
nothing of spiritual duties, heavenly affections, the life of faith, the
entire surrender of heart, or the living to the glory of God. Hence he
substitutes services of his own, carnal and unprofitable. He “walks in