Verse 22. Men are always going to be wise, and therefore, Wisdom plunges upon this very difficulty. You are going to repent; but when? And, as a still more imperative question, "How long first?" You are, perhaps, a grey old man, and your resolutions have been for fifty years.--_Miller._ Lovers of simplicity and haters of knowledge are joined together; for where there is a love of simplicity, there is a hatred of knowledge, where there is a love of vice there is a hatred of virtue.--_Jermin._ Scorners _love_ scorning. The habit grows by indulgence. It becomes a second nature.--_Arnot._ These simplicians are much better than scorners, and far beyond those fools who hate knowledge. All sins are not alike sinful, and wicked men grow worse and worse.--_Trapp._ Verse 23. The two things mentioned here are to be taken in connection with each other. The latter is the result of the former--the former in order to the latter. There can be no plea, therefore, for continued ignorance. The Word of God is in possession, and the Spirit of God is in promise.--_Wardlaw._ When it is said: "Turn," &c. could an essay to turn be without some influence of the Spirit? But that, complied with, tends to pouring forth a copious effusion not to be withstood.--_J. Howe._ When we turn at His reproof, He will pour out His Spirit; when He pours out His Spirit, we will turn at His reproof: blessed circle for the saints to reason in.--_Arnot._ Little as we might have expected it, the teaching of the Book of Proverbs anticipates the prophecy of Joel (ii. 28) and the promise of our Lord (John xiv. 26; xv. 26.) Not the _Spirit_ alone, with no articulate expression of truths received or felt: nor _words_ alone, spoken or written, without the Spirit to give them life.--_Plumptre._ He that reproves and then directs not how to do better, is he that snuffs a lamp, but pours not in oil to maintain it.--_Trapp._ There are no words that can make known Wisdom's words but her own, and there is no one that can make known Wisdom's words but herself. She can, and here she saith: "_I will._" And it is as she _will_, not as she _can_, and yet freely and fully too, whereof she saith: "I will _pour out_."--_Jermin._ +I. The reproof God administers.+ God reproves (1) _by the Scriptures;_ (2) _by ministers;_ (3) _by conscience;_ (4) _by Providence._ +II. The submission He requires.+ Turn (1) _with penitent hearts;_ (2) _with believing minds;_ (3) _with prompt obedience._ +III. The encouragements He imparts.+ The Spirit is (1) _convincing;_ (2) _quickening;_ (3) _comforting;_ (4) _sanctifying._--_Sketches of Sermons._