Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Proverbs · Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI. Verſ 1. The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord]
BEE Kings never ſo abſolute, and unaccountable to any, yet are they ruled and over-ruled by Him that is higher than the higheſt, Eccleſ. 5.8. Gods heart is not in the Kings hand, as that fooliſh Prince in Mexico pretends, when at his Coronation he ſwears that it ſhall not rain unſeaſonably, neither ſhall there be Famine or Peſtilence during his Reign in his Dominions: but the Kings heart, that is, his will, deſires, devices, reſolutions, are Gods to diſpoſe of; he turneth them this way or that way, with as much eaſe as the Plowman doth the water-courſe with his paddle, or the Gardiner with his hand. Thus he turned the heart of Pharaoh to Joſeph, of Saul to David, of Nebuchadnezzar to Jeremy, of Darius to Daniel, of Cyrus (and afterwards of Alexander the great) to the Jewes, of ſome of the Roman Perſecutors to the Primitive Chriſtians, and of Charls the fifth (who ruled over twenty eight flouriſhing Kingdoms) to the late Reformers, Melanchthon, Pomeran, and other famous men of God: whom when he had in his power (after hee had conquered the Proteſtant Princes) he not only determined not any thing extreamly againſt them,Act. & Mon. fol. 1784. but alſo intreating them gently, he ſent them away, not ſo much as once forbidding them to publiſh openly the Doctrine that they profeſſed: albeit all Chriſtendome had not a more prudent Prince than he was (ſaith Mr. Fox) nor the Church of Chriſt almoſt a ſorer enemy.
Verſ. 2. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes] See the Note on chap. 16.2. Such is our ſinful Self-love, that Suffenus-like wee eaſily admire that little Nothing of any good that is in us: we ſo claſp and hugg the barn of our own brain, with the Ape, that we ſtrangle it: we ſet up a Counter for a thouſand pounds; and boaſt of thoſe graces whereunto wee are perfect ſtrangers. We turn the perſpective, and gladly ſee our ſelves bigger, others leſſer than they are: we flatter out own ſouls, as Micah did his, Judg. 17.13. Wherein it falls out oft as it did with the riflers of Semiramis her tomb, who where they expected to finde the richeſt Treaſure, met with a deadly Poyſon. Seem wee never ſo juſt, becauſe firſt in our own cauſe, God (as Salomon ſaith of a mans Neighbour) comes and ſearches us, and then things appears otherwiſe. Luke 16.15.
Verſ. 3. Is more acceptable to the Lord] Qui non vult ex rapina holocauſtum, as Heathens could ſee and ſay, by the light of Nature. The Jewes thought to expiate their miſcarriages toward men, and to ſet off with God, by their Ceremonies and Sacrifices, Iſa. 1. Jer. 7. Mich. 6. Some Heathens alſo (as that Roman Emperour) could ſay, Non ſic Deos coluimus ut ille nos vinceret, Wee have not been at ſo much charge with the gods, that they ſhould give us up into the enemies hands. But the Scripture gave the Jewes to underſtand, that to obey was better than ſacrifice, that God would have mercy and not ſacrifice, and that for a man to love God above all, and his Neighbour as himſelf, is more than all whole Burnt-offerings and ſacrifices, Mar. 12.33. The Heathens alſo were told as much by their Sages, as Plato in his book intituled, foreign: where Socrates reprehending the gilt-horned Bulls of the Grecians, and the ſumptuous ſacrifices of the Trojans, at length infers: foreign, &c. It were a grievous thing if the gods ſhould more reſpect mens offerings and Sacrifices than the holineſs of their hearts, and the righteouſneſs of their lives, &c. Ariſtotle in his Rhetoricks, foreign, &c. ſaith he: It is not likely that God takes pleaſure in the coſtlineſs of ſacrifices, but rather in the good converſation of the ſacrificers.
Verſ. 4. An high look, and proud heart] See the Note on Prov. 6.17.
And the plowing of the wicked is ſin] As they plot and plow miſchief (being the Devils hindes and drudges) ſo all their actions natural, moral, ſpiritual, are turned into ſin; whether they plow, or play, or pray, or eat, or ſleep, to the impure and unbeleeving all things are impure, Tit. 1.15. Their proud or bigſwoln heart is full of filthy corrupt matter, that woozeth out ſtill and offendeth the eyes of Gods glory. Every thing they do is as an evil vapour reaking from that loathſome dunghil, worſe than thoſe that came up from the five Cities of the plain. Pride is like Copreſs, which will turn wine or milk into Ink; or leaven, which turns a very Paſſeover into pollution; or as the Sanies of a plagueſor, which will render the richeſt Robe infectious.
Verſ. 5. The thoughts of the diligent tend onelyonly, &c.] The word rendred diligent, ſignifies one that is ſedulous and ſollicitous in his buſineſs, that weighs circumſtances, and waits opportunities, that ſits down firſt,Qui res omnes ſuas ordina facit loco & tempore, &c. Cujus limitatae & velut judicio deciſae actiones omnes. Mercer. and counts his coſts. Luke 12.28. that conſiders ſeriouſly, and then executes ſpeedily: Such an one was Abrahams ſervant, Gen. 24. Joſeph, Boaz, Daniel. And how ſhould ſuch a man chuſe but thrive? See the Note on Chapter 10.4. A ſufficiency hee is ſure of, though not of a ſuperfluity.
But of every one that is haſty] And head-long; that reſolving to bee rich, graſpeth greedily all hee can come at, accounting all good fiſh that comes to hand, and not ſticking at any injuſtice or cruelty that may make for his advantage. The beggar will catch this man ere long, the uſurer will get him into his clutches, and leave him never a feather to flye with. There is a curſe upon ſuch precipitate practices, though men bee never ſo induſtrious, as in Jehoiachim, Jer. 22. and Saul, 1 Sam. 14. Thoſe that making more haſte than good ſpeed to bee rich, reach at things too high for them (which David would not do, Pſal. 131.1.) may bee likened to the Panther, which loves the dung of man ſo much, as if it bee hanged a height from it, it will skip and leap up, and never leave, till it have burſt it ſelf in peeces to get it.
Verſ. 6. The getting of treaſures by a lying tongue] As do Seducers, Sycophants, Flatterers, corrupt Judges (that ſay with ſhame Give yee) mercenary pleaders (that ſell both their tongues and ſilence, and help their Clients cauſes as the Wolf did the ſheep of his cough, by ſucking his blood) witneſſes of the poſt (that can lend an oath, as Jezabels hired Rake-hels did, and will not ſtick to ſwear (if they may bee well paid for it) that their friend or ſoe was at Rome and at Interamna both at once) falſe Chapmen, that ſay the beſt of their worſt commodities, and cheat the unwary buyer. Theſe and the like, though for a while they may thrive and ruffle, yet in the end they proſper not, but periſh with their wealth, as the Toad doth with his mouth full of earth. God blows upon their curſed hoards of evil-gotten goods, ſcatterinrg them as chaff before the wind: Deſtruction alſo dogs them at the heels, both temporal and eternal. This they are ſaid to ſeek, ſc. eventually, though not intentionally; they ſeek it, becauſe they not onelyonly walk in the way to it, but run and flye with poſthaſte, as if they were afraid that they ſhould come too late, or that hell ſhould bee full before they got thither. Thus Balaams Aſs never carries him faſt enough after the wages of wickedneſs. Set but a wedge of gold before Achan, and Joſhuah, that could ſtop the Sun in his courſe, cannot ſtay him from fingering of it. Judas in ſelling his Maſter, what hee doth, doth quickly. But with what iſſue? What got Balaam but a ſword in his ribs? Achan, but the ſtones about his ears? Judas, but the halter about his neck? beſides a worſe thing in another world. Thus many a wretched worldling ſpins a fair thred to ſtrangle himſelf both temporally and eternally; by covetouſneſs they not onelyonly kill others, Prov. 1.19. but deſperately drown themſelves in perdition and deſtruction, 1 Tim. 6.9. Fuge ergo, dives, ejufmodi exitum (as St. Ambroſe concludes the ſtory of Ahabs and Jezabels fearful end) ſed fugies ejuſmodi exitum ſi fugeris hujuſmodi flagitium. Fly, O rich miſer, ſuch an end. Such an end you ſhall avoid, if you carefully flye from ſuch ſinful courſes.
Verſ. 7. The robbery of the wicked ſhall deſtroy them] Heb. Shall ſaw them, that is, ſhall bring upon them exquiſite and extream torments, ſuch as the Prophet Iſaiah, and thoſe Martyrs, Heb. 11.37. were put unto unjuſtly; ſuch as Agag ſuffered juſtly, and thoſe barbarous Ammorites, 2 Sam. 12.31. Some render it, diſſecabit eos, ſhall cut them in twain, as that evil ſervant, Luke 12.46. and thoſe blaſphemers of Daniels God, Dan. 3.29. Others render it, ſhall abide upon them, or dwell with them. Their ill-gotten goods vaniſh, but their puniſhment remains: Their ſtollen veniſon is ſoon eaten up, but the ſhot is not yet paid, there is a ſad reckoning behinde; God will rake out of their bellies thoſe tid bits, thoſe murdering morſels. Beſides that, for their laſt diſh is ſerved up aſtoniſhment and fearful expectation of juſt revenge. The Hebrew word here tranſlated deſtroy, ſignifies alſo to terrifie and fear; They ſhall bee a Magormiſſabib to themſelves,Dio in Sever. as Paſhur was, Jer. 20.3, 4. running from chamber to chamber to hide from the hand of Juſtice (as that notable theef Bulas in the dayes of Severus the Emperour) but they ſhall not eſcape, their ſin will finde them out; God will pour upon them, and not ſpare, whether they bee private theeves,Gell. lib. 11. cap. 16. or thoſe publike robbers, qui in auro & purpura viſuntur (as Cato once ſaid) that are clad with purple, and have gold chains about their necks; corrupt Judges, who judge for reward, and take away the righteouſneſs of the righteous from him. Such were Empſon and Dudley in their generation. Such was Judge Belknap in Richard the ſeconds dayes, who being about to ſubſcribe the Articles againſt proceedings of Parliament, ſaid, there wanted but a Hurdle, Speed▪ 747.a Horſe, and a Halter to carry him where hee might ſuffer for aſſenting to them. And that of theſe publick Theeves Solomon chiefly ſpeaks here, wee may well think by the following clauſe, ſhewing the cauſe of their ſore and ſharp puniſhment, becauſe they refuſe to do judgement.
Verſ. 8. The way of man is froward and ſtrange] And therefore ſtrange, becauſe froward, various and voluble; ſo that you know not where to have him, hee is ſo unconſtant, nor what to make of him, hee is ſo uncertain, and unſetled; double-minded, Jam. 1.8. double-tongued, 1 Tim. 3.8. verſut ulus & verſatilis, Qui tantum conſtans in levitate ſua.
Folieta Galeazo reports of Sfortia Duke of Millain, that hee was a very Monſter, made up and compact of Vertue and Vice. Such of old were Alcibiades, and likewiſe Julian the Apoſtate, of whom Marcellinus ſaith, that by his vicious errours Obnubilabat gloriae multiplices curſus, hee ſtained his many praiſe-worthy parts and practices▪ Galba, and our Richard the third, are ſaid to have been bad men, good Princes. And of King Henry the eighth, ſaith Mr. Camden, Fuerunt quidem in eo rege magnae virtutes, nec minora vitia, confuſo quodam temperamento mixtae, that is, there was a ſtrange mixture of great Vertues, and no leſs Vices found in this King.
But as for the pure, his work is right] For why? Hee works by rule; and therefore all his actions are uniform; Hee is alſo one and the ſame in all eſtates of life,2 Cor. 1.17, 18 as gold is purged in the fire, ſhines in the water. Did I uſe lightneſs? (ſaith St. Paul) or is therewith mee, Yea, Yea, and Nay, Nay? No, But as God is true, ſo our word toward you was not Yea and Nay. I did not ſay, and unſay; do, and undo, &c.
Verſ. 9. It is better to dwell in a corner of the houſe-top] Their houſe-tops were made flat by order of the Law. The ſenſe is then, A man had better abide abroad, ſub dio, expoſed to wind and weather, yea to croud into a corner, and to live in a Little-eaſe, than to cohabit in a convenient houſe with a contentious woman, that is ever brawling and brangling, that turns conjugium into conjurgium by inſerting the Dogs letter (r) and leading her husband a Dogs life. Such a one was Zillah, Peninnah, Xantippe, the wife of Phoroneus the Law giver,Bruſon. lib. 7. cap. 22. who upon his death-bed told his brother, Hee had been a man happy if hee had never married. Ariſtotle affirms, that hee that hath miſcarried in a wife,Ariſt. in Rhet. hath loſt more than half the happineſs of his life. Rubius Celer, and Albutius Tertius were held happy among the Romans, becauſe the former had lived with a wife three and forty years, and eight months, the latter five and twenty years, ſine querela, without quarrelling or contending. And this they gave order ſhould bee engraven upon their Grave-ſtones. See the Note on Prov. 19.13.
Verſ. 10. The ſoul of the wicked deſireth evil] Sinful ſelf-love (the choakweed of all true love) prompteth the wicked man to envy the good, and wiſh the evil of all but himſelf. Hard-hearted hee is, and inhumane, unleſs it bee in a qualm of kindneſs (as Saul to David, the Aegyptians to the Iſraelites) or meerly in diſſimulation, as John Oneale father to the Earl of Tyrone, Camd. Eliſ.that Rebel, 1598. inſcribed himſelf in all places, I am great John Oneale, friend to the Queen of England, and foe to all the world. foreign, ſaid one wicked Emperour, foreign, ſaid another, ſtriving to out-vie him,Dio. When I dye, let the world bee confounded. Nay, whileſt I live let it bee ſo, ſaid the other Monſter.
His neighbour findes no favour in his eyes] Whether hee ſink or ſwim, it is no part of his care. What cares that churl Nabal, though worthy David dye at his door, ſo long as himſelf ſits warm within, feeding on the fat, and drinking of the ſweet? The Prieſts and the Levites ſaw the wounded man that lay half dead, and lent him no help; It was well they fell not upon him and diſpatched him, as dogs fall upon a man that is down; or as when a Deer is ſhot, the reſt of the Herd puſh him out of their company. Such cruel beaſts David complains of, Pſal. 69.26. And ſuch fierce ſalvages St. Paul foretels ſhall bee in theſe laſt and worſt dayes. Hard hearts ſhall make hard times, 2 Tim. 3.3.
Verſ. 11. When the ſcorner is puniſhed, &c.] See the Note on Prov. 19.25.
And when the wiſe is inſtructed] Or, when hee accurately conſiders the wiſe, and obſerves both their integrity and their proſperity by Gods bleſſing thereupon (for the word imports both) hee reſolves to play the wiſe-man.
Verſ. 12. The righteous man wiſely conſidereth, &c.] Hee fore-ſeeth its fearful fall, and is not offended at their preſent proſperity▪ For God, hee knows, will ſhortly overturn it. This conſideration cures hi… of the fret, as it did David, Pſal. 37. It doth alſo inſtruct him in many points of heavenly wiſdome, as it did the Church, Iſa. 26.11. 1 Cor. 10, 11. The deſtruction of others ſhould bee an inſtruction to us, that wee may waſh our feet in the blood of the wicked, Pſal. 52.6.
Verſ. 13. Who ſo ſtoppeth his ear at the cry, &c.] This was fulfilled in Pharaoh, Haman, the rich glutton, Hatto Archbiſhop of Mentz, Mauricius the Emperour, and many others, who might have better provided for their own comfort in ſickneſs, and other exigences, had they been more pitiful to poor people. Whereas now, when they ſhall lye toſſing and tumbling upon their ſick beds, roaring as Bulls, and tabring upon their breaſts &c. Nah. 2.7.God will not hear them, Men will ſay, It is good enough for them: All hearts, by a Divine hand, will bee ſtrangely ſet off from the mercileſs, as it befell Scianus.
Verſ. 14. A gift in ſecret pacifieth anger] That is, ſay ſome, alms rightly performed, as Matth. 6.1. pacifieth Gods diſpleaſure (confer Dan. 4.27.) And the Jews at this day write this ſentence of Solomon (in an abbreviature) upon their Alms-box. This ſenſe ſuits well with the verſe afore-going.Buxtorf. Synag. Jud. But I conceive the Wiſe-mans drift here, is to ſhew how prevalent gifts are (if cloſely conveyed) eſpecially (which takes away the ſhame of open receiving) and what a pave they have to an amicable reconciliation. Thus Jacob pacified Eſau, Abigail David, Hezekiah the Aſſyrian that came up againſt him, 2 King. 18.24, 25. Howbeit this doth not alwaies do the deed. Our Chronicler tells us, that the Lady de Bruſe had by her virulent and railing tongue more exaſperated the fury of King John (whom ſhee reviled as a Tyrant, and a murtherer of her husband) than could bee pacified by her ſtrange preſent (viz. four hundred Kine,Speed. 572. and one Bull, all Milk-white, except onelyonly the ears which were red) ſent unto the Queen. See the Note on Chap. 17.8.
Verſ. 15. It is joy to the juſt to do judgment] They love it dearly; and therefore cannot but rejoyce in it exceedingly. I rejoyce at thy word, as one that findeth great ſpoyl, Pſal. 119.162. wherein the pleaſure is uſually as much as the profit. Beſides, as every flower hath its ſweet ſavour: ſo every good duty carries meat in the mouth, comfort in the performance. Hence the Saints alacrity in Gods ſervice, ſo far as they are ſpiritual. I delight in the Law of God, Rom. 7.after the inward man, ſaith Saint Paul, who yet but a little before complained of a clog.
But deſtruction ſhall bee to the workers of iniquity] Wicked men are great workmen; they put themſelves to no ſmall pains in catering for the fleſh to fulfil the luſts thereof, yea and this they do with ſingular delight (as the oppoſition implies) they weary themſelves to commit iniquity, Jer. 9.5. and yet they give not over, but lye grinding day and night in the Mill of ſome or other baſe luſt. Now what can come of this better than utter deſtruction: which indeed is the juſt hire of the leaſt ſin, and will befall the workers of iniquity, as ſure as the coat is on their back, or the heart in their body?
Verſ. 16. The man that wandreth out of the way] Let him wander while hee will, that deviateth from the truth according to godlineſs, hee cannot poſſibly wander ſo far as to miſs of Hell. God hath ſworn in his wrath, that no ſuch vagrants ſhall enter into his reſt,Iſa: 50.11. Pſal. 95. Nay, This ſhall they have of my hand, Prov. 2.18. See the Note.they ſhall lye down in ſorrow, they ſhall reſt with Rephaims: if at leaſt they can reſt in that reſtleſs reſting-place of hell-fire, in that Congregation-houſe of gehermal-giants; where is puniſhment withour pitty, miſery without mercy, ſorrow without ſuccour, crying without comfort, miſchief without meaſure torments without end, and paſt imagination.
Verſ. 17. Hee that loveth pleaſure, &c.] Luxury is attended by beggery. Pleaſure may bee had, but not loved. Iſaac loved Veniſon (a little better haply than hee ſhould;) Eſau loved hunting, hence hee grew prophane, and though not a begger,Seneca. yet worſe. The Prodigal in the Goſpel ſpent his ſubſtance with riotous living Luk. 16.13. So did Apicius the Romane, who hearing that there were ſeven hundred Crowns onelyonly remaining of a vaſt eſtate that his Father had left him,Valer. feared want, and hanged him. M. Livius another waſte-good boaſted when hee died, that hee had left nothing for his heir, praeter coelum & coenum, more than air and mire. Roger Aſcham, School-Maſter to Queen Elizabeth, Camb. Eliſab.and her Secretary for the Latine tongue, being too much addicted to dicing and cock-fighting, lived and died a poor man.
Verſ. 18. The wicked ſhall bee a ranſome] Heb. Copher, a cover, or an expiation: as Achan was for Iſrael; and as thoſe condemned perſons among the Heathens,Budaeu…. that in time of peſtilence or contagious infection, were offered up by way or publick expiation, with theſe words, foreign. Bee thou a reconciliation for us. To this cuſtome Saint Paul ſeems to allude, 1 Cor. 4.13. Thus, when Sauls ſons were hanged, Gods wrath was appeaſed, 2 Sam. 21. and when guilty Jonah was caſt into the Sea, all was calm. Thus God gave Egypt for Iſraels ranſome: yea Seba and Ethiopia, Iſa. 43.3. And although hee may ſeem ſometimes to ſell his people for nought, and not to encreaſe his wealth by their price, Pſal. 44.12. yet when it comes to a critical point, I will give men for thee, and people for thy price, Iſa. 43.4. See Prov. 11.8. with the Note there.
Verſ. 19. It is better to dwell in the wilderneſs] Among ravenous beaſts, and venemous ſerpents, in greateſt danger, and want of all neceſſary accommodation. This is ſo much worſe than the houſe-top, as an angry and vexatious woman (which like a mad dog, bites all about her, and makes them as mad as her ſelf) is worſe than her that is not ſo much angry as unquiet, brawling (as Dogs bark ſometimes in the night) of cuſtome or fancy, and not provoked by any. See ſupra verſ. 9.
Verſ. 20. There is a treaſure to bee deſired] Hee had ſaid before, Hee that loveth Wine and Oyl ſhall not bee rich. Here hee ſhews, that though theſe things may not bee loved or laviſhed, yet they may, and muſt bee had and heaped up in a way of good husbrandry for neceſſity, yea for honeſt affluence; that wee may not onelyonly live, but live comfortably; that wee may not onelyonly have priſoners pittance, ſo much as will keep us alive, but that wee may have plenty of things deſirable, both for profit, as treaſure, and for delight, as oyl. And theſe things muſt not bee fooliſhly waſted (as they are uſually by unthrifts) leſt that make the wife that wants, angry and unquiet, as in the former verſe.
Verſ. 21. Hee that followeth after righteouſneſs] Though (for ſuch a meaſure of it as hee deſires) hee cannot overtake or compaſs it. If hee bee but doing at it, Si faciat praecepta, etiamſi non perficiat, if hee think upon Gods Commandements to do them, Pſal. 103.18. If, though hee cannot open the door, yet hee is lifting at the latch, hee ſhall bee accepted, yea rewarded. Hee that follows after righteouſneſs and mercy, as an Apprentice follows his Trade, though hee bee not his Craftſmaſter, ſhall ſurely finde righteouſneſs, with life and honour to boot. And is not that a good thing, a treaſure to bee deſired?
Verſ. 22. A wiſe man ſcaleth the City of the mighty] Wiſdome is that foreign, that is profitable for all things; of ſingular and ſovereign uſe, as in domeſtick and politick, ſo in Military affairs and buſineſſes. Here Prudence is made out to bee better than Puiſſance, and one wiſe man to bee too hard for many mighty, though got into the ſtrongeſt Garriſons. In War wiſdome is better than ſtrength, ſaith Solomon more than once, Eccleſ. 9.16. and Chap. 7.19. How did Archimedes hold out Syracuſe againſt the Roman General, by his ſingular skill and induſtry? And how many ſtrong Cities have been ſcaled and ſurpized by warlike wiles and ſtratagems? as Babylon by Cyrus firſt,Dio. and afterwards by Zopyrus; Jeruſalem by Pompey, taking the opportunity of the ſeventh day Sabbath, wherein hee knew the ſuperſtitious Jews would not ſtir to defend themſelves, and many others that might out of Hiſtories bee inſtanced.
Verſ. 23. Who ſo keepeth his mouth, and his tongue] As hee that keepeth his doors faſt locked, preſerveth himſelf from danger: See the Note on Chap. 13.3. The large and looſe uſe of the tongue brings a man oft to divers ſtraights and miſeries.
Verſ. 24. Proud and haughty ſcorner is his name] An ill name hee gets him, and lyes under the common reproach of a proud peeviſh perſon. Hee ſeeks renown by his rage and revenge, as Lamech that vaunted of his valour this way to his wives; Alexander Pheraeus, who conſecrated the javelin wherewith hee had ſlain Polyphron; Caelius the Lawyer, that gloried to bee held the moſt froward and frample Roman alive, &c. But God loadeth ſuch a man with diſgrace, as here, and gives him his due character. Men alſo will hate him, and deſpiſe him for a ſon of Belial, as Nabals ſervants ſaid of him; for a mad frantick fellow, being once inraged, cares not what hee ſayes, as Jonas; what hee doth, as Saul, who dealing in proud wrath, was ſo kindled by the Devil, that hee could not bee quenched till hee fell into the unquenchable lake: Beſides the infamy that will never bee waſhed off, the brand of reproach, like that of Dathan and Abiram, who roſe up in proud wrath againſt Moſes and Aaron, and are therefore worthily ſtigmatized with a This is that Dathan, Numb. 26.9. like that other, This is that King Ahaz, 2 Chron. 28.22. and as wee commonly ſay of ſuch an one, that hee is a proud fool.
Verſ. 25. The deſire of the ſloathful killeth him] Hee onelyonly wiſheth well to himſelf; but refuſing to labour, pineth away in his iniquity, Lev. 26.39. Neither grace nor wealth is had with wiſhing, Nemo caſu fit Sapiens, Epiſt. 77.ſaith Seneca. Some have a kinde of willingneſs and velleity, a kinde of wambling after the beſt things, but it doth not boyl up to the full height of reſolution for God.
Perſ.Virtutem exeptant, contabeſcuntque relictâ,
Carnal men care not to ſeek after him whom yet they would fain finde, ſaith Bernard, Cupientes conſequi ſed non & ſequi; have heaven they would, but ſtick at the hard conditions; like faint Chapmen, they bid money for heaven, but are loath to come up to the full price of it. Balaam wiſhed well to heaven, ſo did the young Phariſee in the Goſpel, that came to Chriſt haſtily, but went away heavily. Herod of a long time deſired to ſee Chriſt, but never ſtirred out of doors to ſee him. Pilate asked Chriſt, What is truth? but never ſtayed his anſwer. The ſluggard puts out his arm to riſe, and pulls it in again, hee turns upon his bed, as the door doth upon the hinges, which yet comes not off for all the turnings, but hangs ſtill: and this is his utter undoing. Men muſt not think that good things (whether ſpiritual or temporal) will drop out of the clouds to them,Aemuli ipſius dormientem pinxeram. Plut. in Sylla. as Towns were ſaid to come into Timotheus his toyl while hee ſlept. Now perform the doing of it, ſaith Saint Paul to thoſe lazie Corinthians, 2 Cor. 8.12. A thirſty man will not only long for drink, but labour after it. A covetous man will not only wiſh for wealth, but ſtrive to compaſs it. Yet not every covetous man, I confeſs; For in the next verſe it is ſaid of the ſluggard,
Verſ. 26. Hee coveteth greedily all day long] But theſe greedy conſtant covetings come to nothing, hee makes nothing of them. Meteors have matter enough in the vapours themſelves to carry them above the earth, but not enough to unite them to the element of fire, therefore they fall and return to their firſt principles. So is it with our wiſhers and woulders. Many came out of Egypt, that never came into Canaan; And why? the Land they liked well, but complained with thoſe Spies, of the ſtrength of the Anakims, and the impoſſibility of the Conqueſt, therefore their Carcaſes fell in the wilderneſs, their ſluggiſhneſs ſlew them. They luſted and had not, they killed (themſelves with coveting, as in the former verſe) and deſired to have (as here) but could not obtain. Jam. 4.2.
But the righteous giveth and ſpareth not] Neither neceſſity nor niggardiſe hindreth him; hee hath it, and hee holds that hee hath no more than hee giveth. Hee is both painful and pittiful; and what hee cannot do for the poor himſelf, hee ſtirs up others to do, ſo far is hee from forbidding or hindring any from ſhewing mercy. Some render the words thus, The righteous giveth, and forbiddeth not. Give a portion (ſaith hee to his richer friend) to ſeven, and alſo to eight, for thou knoweſt not what evil ſhall bee up on the earth, Eccleſ. 11.2. See the Note there.
Verſ. 27. The ſacrifice of the wicked, &c.] See the Note on Chap. 15.8.
How much more when hee bringeth it, &c?] As Balaac and Balaam did, Num. 23.1, 2. As thoſe that preſent ex rapina holocauſtum, a ſacrifice of what they have got by rapine and robbery: And as thoſe likewiſe that ask good things at Gods hand, that they may conſume them upon their luſts, Jam. 4.3. Let the wicked bring his ſacrifice with never ſo good an intention, hee is an abomination; but if with an evil minde, his diſſembled ſanctity is double iniquity: As if a man think by obſerving the Sabbath to take out a licenſe to walk licentiouſly all the week long; or by praying in a morning, to get a diſpenſation to do evil all day after.Mr. Shepherds Sincere convert. p. 232. Breerwood, Enquire. I have read of one, that would haunt the Taverns, Theaters, and Whore-houſes at London all day; but hee durſt not go forth without private prayer in the morning, and then would ſay at his departure, Now Devil do thy worſt. The Circaſsians are ſaid to divide their life betwixt rapine and repentance. The Papiſts (many of them) make account of confeſſing, as Drunkards do of vomiting.Sands his relat. of Weſt. Religion When wee have ſinned, ſay they, wee muſt confeſs, and when wee have confeſſed, wee muſt ſin again, that wee may alſo confeſs again, and make work for new indulgences and jubilees.
Verſ. 28. A falſe witneſs ſhall periſh] See the Note on Chap. 19.5. The Scythians had a Law, that if any man did duo peccata contorquere, binde two ſins together, a Lye and an Oath, hee was to loſe his head, becauſe this was the way to take away all faith and truth amongſt men.
But the man that heareth, speaketh conſtantly] Hee teſtifieth confidently what hee knoweth aſſuredly; hee is alwayes alſo in the ſame tale, as Paul was in the plea to the chief Captain, to Felix, to Feſtus, and to Agrippa. Not ſo Bellarmine. How oft doth that loud Lyer forget himſelf, and write contradictions? As for inſtance, In one place hee affirmeth, that it can by no means bee proved by Scripture, that any part of Scripture is the very word of God.Par. in Apoc. 22.16. Bel. de verb. Dei, l. 1. c 2. Sed mendax redarguit ſeipſum, ſaith Pareus. But the Lyer confutes himſelf, by ſaying elſewhere, Beſides other arguments to evince the divinity of the Canonical Scripture, it giveth ſufficient teſtimony to it ſelf.
Verſ. 29. A wicked man hardeneth his face] Procacitèr obfirmat vultum ſuum, ſo the Vulgar renders it. The falſe witneſs, verſ. 28. impudently defends, or at leaſt extenuates and excuſes his falſities. Frontem perfricat, aſſuens mendacium mendacio, as the Hebrew hath it, Pſal. 119.69. Hee thinks to make good one lye by another, to outface the truth,foreign Act. 27. to overbear it with a bold countenance. It ſeems to bee a metaphor from a Traveller that ſets his face againſt the wind and weather, and holds on his journey, though hee bee taking long ſtrides toward deſtruction.
But as for the upright hee directeth his way] Hee proceeds warily, weighs his words before hee utters them, and delivers nothing but the naked truth: And truth is like our firſt Parents, moſt beautiful when naked. Some Interpreters take this verſe, as ſetting forth the difference between the wicked and the godly, without any relation to the falſe and true witneſs, verſ. 28. And then it is Sententia ſapiente digna, ſaith one, Tam paucis verbis tam profundum ſenſum cumulans, a ſentence worthy of Solomon, as having ſo much in a little.
Verſ. 30. There is wiſdome againſt the Lord] That is, they are all to no purpoſe. If God deny concourſe and influence, the arm of humane power and policy (as Jeroboams) ſhrinks up preſently. See Pſal. 2.1, 2, 3. & 33.10, 11. & 62.3. See the Note on Chap. 19.21. Excellently Gregory, Divinum conſilium dum devitatur, impletur: humana ſapientia dum reluctatur, comprehenditur. Gods decree is fulfilled, by thoſe that have leaſt minde to it: Humane wiſdome, whiles it ſtrives for maſteries, is over-maſtered.
Verſ. 31. The horſe is prepared againſt the day, &c.] A very ſerviceable creature, and in battel full of terrour; ſo ſwift in ſervice, that the Perſians dedicated him to their god, the Sun, foreign, as Pauſanias hath it. But as the Sun in heaven can neither bee out-run, nor ſtopt in his race; ſo neither by men (though wiſe) nor by means (though likely) can Gods purpoſes bee diſappointed. An horſe is a vain thing for ſafety; Neither ſhall hee deliver any by his great ſtrength. Pſal. 33.17.
But ſafety (or victory) is of the Lord] Hee gives it to which ſide hee pleaſeth; as hee did to the Iſraelites in the conqueſt of Canaan, though they had no horſes to help them, as their adverſaries had, and Charets too, both Aegyptians and Canaanites.