Proverbs 8:1

Doth not wisdom cry?.... Christ, who is the Wisdom of God; [See comments on Proverbs 1:20]; and which clearly appears from his subsistence with the Father, his eternal existence, and from many

Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? Proverbs 8:1-36.-Wisdom herself openly cries in all places, inviting men to her (Proverbs 8:1-3).

CHAPTER 8 Wisdom’ s fame, call, and exhortation, . Her excellency, nature, and hatred of evil, . Her power, ; and love to the godly, . Her riches, ,19. Her eternity, . Her delight in the children of men, . An exhortation to true wisdom, ,33; and the blessedness of them that are truly wise, ,35. The fruits of sin, . It is a great question what this wisdom is, of which Solomon discourseth so largely and profoundly in this chapter. Some understand it of that attribute or perfection of the Divine nature which is called wisdom, whereby God perfectly knoweth all things, and maketh known to men what he judgeth necessary or expedient for them to know. Others understand it of the second person in the Godhead, the Son of God, who is called the Wisdom of God, . And it cannot fairly be denied that some passages do best agree to the former, and others to the latter opinion. Possibly both may be joined together, and the chapter may be understood of Christ, considered partly in his personal capacity, and partly in regard of his office, which was to impart the mind and will of God to mankind, which he did, 1. By revealing it to and writing it upon the mind of man at his first creation; for it was Christ who then gave being, and life, and light to mankind, as is undeniably evident from , &c. 2. By publishing it unto the holy patriarchs and prophets in the time of the Old Testament; for it was Christ who spake and discovered things to them from time to time, as is manifest from 3:18-20, and from many other scriptures, both of the Old Testament, as I have formerly noted in their proper places, and in the New Testament, as we shall see hereafter. 3. By declaring it from his own mouth, and by his apostles and ministers under the gospel. Put forth her voice; clearly and audibly instruct men how to avoid those fleshly lusts. He opposeth the inviting words of wisdom to the seducing speeches of the harlot.

Proverbs 8:1 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?Ver. 1. Doth not wisdom cry?] And shall a harlot be sooner heard than she? Shall men prefer dross before gold, acorns before wheat, a swinesty before a sanctuary, dirty delights and sensual pleasures before peace that passeth all understanding, joy unspeakable and full of glory? Heathen stories tell how Hercules, when he was young, was courted by Virtue on the one hand, and Pleasure on the other; but Pleasure lost her sweet words upon him; he hearkened to Virtue rather. Shall not we to Wisdom? Put forth her voice.] In her ministers, who are criers by office, and must be earnest. See an instance in holy Bradford. "I beseech you," saith he, "I pray you, I desire you, I crave at your hands with all my very heart, I ask of you with hand, pen, tongue, and mind, in Christ, through Christ, for Christ, for his name, blood, mercy, power, and truth’ s sake, my most entirely beloved, that you admit no doubting of God’ s final mercies toward you," &c. Here was a lusty crier indeed. And such another was Mr Perkins, of whom it is said, that in expounding the commandments, when he was catechist of Christ’ s College, he applied them so home to his hearers, that he made their very hearts fall down, and their hairs stand upright. Xenophon. Acts and Mon., 1490. Mr Fuller’ s Holy State, p. 90.

VIII. (n). Fourteenth Discourse:—The Praise of Wisdom (Proverbs 8) (1) Doth not wisdom cry?—See above on Proverbs 1:20. In contrast with the secret allurements of Vice under the cover of night, is here represented the open invitation of Wisdom. (Comp. John 18:20 : “I spake openly to the world . . . and in secret have I said nothing.”)

CHAPTER VIII The fame and excellence of wisdom, and its manner of teaching, 1-4; the matter of its exhortations, 5-12; its influence among men, 13-21; its antiquity, 22-31; the blessedness of attending to its counsels, 32-35; the misery of those who do not, 36. NOTES ON CHAP. VIII. Verse 1. Doth not wisdom cry?] Here wisdom is again personified; but the prosopopoeia is carried on to a greater length than before, and with much more variety. It is represented in this chapter in a twofold point of view: 1. Wisdom, the power of judging rightly, implying the knowledge of Divine and human things. 2. As an attribute of God, particularly displayed in the various and astonishing works of creation. Nor has it any other meaning in this whole chapter, whatever some of the fathers may have dreamed, who find allegorical meanings every where. The wise man seems as if suddenly awakened from the distressful contemplation which he had before him,-of the ruin of young persons in both worlds by means of debauchery,-by the voice of wisdom, who has lifted up her voice in the most public places, where was the greatest concourse of the people, to warn the yet unsnared, that they might avoid the way of seduction and sin; and cause those who love her to inherit substance, and to have their treasuries filled with durable riches.

Proverbs 8:1-3. The call of Wisdom. Comp. Proverbs 1:20-21.

A companion picture to that in Prov. 7, and serving in some measure to generalize and idealize it.

1. Doth not wisdom cry — Call aloud. The negative form of the question implies an affirmative answer. It is a forcible way of saying that she does these things.