Proverbs 4 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes

A father — Of me, who have paternal authority over you and affection for you.

Tender — Young and tender in years, and tenderly educated. Only beloved — Beloved above all the rest.

Said — The following verses, at least as far as the tenth verse, are the words of David.

With all — Even with the price of all.

Exalt — Let her have thine highest esteem and affection.

Grace — A beautiful ornament, such as they used to put upon their heads.

For — They cannot sleep with quietness.

For — Wickedness is as pleasant to them as their bread.

But — Just men daily grow in knowledge, and grace, and consolation, 'till all be perfected and swallowed up in glory.

Darkness — Full of ignorance and error, of uncertainty and confusion, of danger and misery.

Heart — Thy thoughts, will, and affections. For — From thence proceed all the actions, as of the natural, so of the spiritual life, which lead to eternal life.

Mouth — All sorts of sinful words.

Right on — Direct all thine actions to a right end, and keep thy mind fixed upon that way which leads to it, and neither look or turn aside to the right — hand or the left.

Ponder — Consider thine actions before thou dost them, and see that they agree with the rule. And — Let thine actions be uniformly and constantly good in spite of all temptations.