A plain and familiar exposition of the ninth and tenth chapters of the Proverbs…A plaine and familiar exposition of the ninth and tenth chapters of the Prouerbs…

PARABLES. That is, wise and grave sentences written by Solomon, but inspired by the spirit of God, for the information of the mind, and the institution of the life, according to the rules of Wisdom, Justice, and Piety The other nine Chapters being prefixed as a preface to these, contained a continued discourse, wherein the commendation of Wisdom, and the exhortations to many good duties were prosecuted with variety of arguments: whereas in these that follow, for the most part, are set down brief sayings, every verse almost comprehending a whole point in it self, not growing upon dependence of that which went before, nor ministering the occasion of that which cometh after. Yet sometimes it falleth out otherwise, and divers verses together have dependence one with another, as will appear in some place of this present Chapter. A wise son, that is, a virtuous & towardly son or daughter, maketh a joyful father, ⟨p. 46⟩or mother: and a foolish son, that is, a sinful and ungracious child, is an heaviness, and grief to his mother or father: yet it is not without cause that the mother is rather put in the latter clause, than the father: for that sex is the weaker, & more impatient of such a cross: and usually contemptuous children be bolder to contemn the mother then the father, as Chap. 15. 20. A foolish man despiseth his mother, as Rebekah was more troubled with Esau then Isaac was: and very often the mothers by too much indulgence and fondness, are means of their children's vices, and so it is said, A child set at liberty maketh his mother ashamed. Chap. 29. 15.