Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Proverbs · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Verſ. 1. The Proverbs.]
PRoperly ſo called. (See Chap. 1.1.) For the nine former Chapters are a kind of common places, or continued diſcourſes, premiſed as a Preface to theſe enſuing wiſe and grave ſentences tending much to the information of the mind, and reformation of the manners, and containing things profitable for all ſorts of people. They are not unfitly compared by a Divine to a bag full of ſweet and fragrant ſpices, which ſhuffled or ſhaken together, or taken ſingle, yeeld a ſweet odour: Or to ſtars in the firmament, each in it ſelf glorious and independent of another, yet all receive their light from the Sun.
A wiſe Son maketh a glad Father] Children are certain cares, foreign. Plut.but uncertain comforts. Every Son ſhould bee an Abner, that is, his Fathers light; and every Daughter an Abigail, her Fathers joy. Eve promiſed her ſelf much in her Cain, and David did the like in his Abſolom. Sed, fallitur augario spes bona ſaepe ſuo, they were both deceived. Samuel ſucceeds Eli in his croſs, as well as his place, though not in his ſin; and had cauſe enough to call his untoward children (as Auguſtus did) tres vomicas, tria carcinomata, ſo many ulcerous ſores, mattery impoſtumes. Vertue is not as Lands, inheritable. All that is traduced with the ſeed, is either evil, or not good. Let Parents labour to mend by education, what they have marred by propagation; And when they have done all, pray God perſwade Japhet, leſt elſe they bee put to wiſh one day, as Auguſtus did,Sueton. c. 6. O that I had never married, or never had children. And let children cheer up their Parents, as Joſeph, Samuel, and Solomon did; and as Epaminondas, who was wont to ſay,Corn. Nepos. Se longe maximum ſuarum laudum fructum capere quod …arum ſpectatores haberet parentes, that hee joyed in nothing more, than that his Parents were yet alive, to take comfort in his brave atchievements. For otherwiſe, God will take them in hand, as hee did Abimelech, to whom hee rendred the wickedneſs done to his Father, Judg. 9.5. And as hee did Abſolom, whom hee truſſed up in the height of his rebellious practices, with his own immediate hand; Or elſe hee will puniſh them in, and by their poſterity, which ſhall either bee none (Prov. 20.20. compared with 2 Sam. 14.7.) or worſe than none; as hee,Mr. Fullers Holy-ſtate. who when his aggrieved Father complained that never man had ſo undutiful a childe as hee had; yes, ſaid his ſon (with leſs grace than truth) my Grandfather had.
The heavineſs of his mother] The Mother is mentioned (though the Father haply as heavy) firſt, as moſt faulted it her children miſcarry, Prov. 24.15. Next, as moſt ſlighted by them, Prov. 15.20. And laſtly, as moſt impatient of ſuch an affliction. Rebecca was weary of her life by reaſon of the daughters of Heth brought in to her by Eſau, Gen. 27.45. If they lye lusking at home, mothers have the miſery of it; if they do worſe abroad, the worſt is made of it to the mother at home, by fame that loud lyer.
Verſ. 2. Treaſures of wickedneſs] Our Saviour calls it Mammon of iniquity, Luke 16.….that next odious name to the Devil. Moſt mens care is how to graſp and get wealth for their children, — rem rem, quocunque modo rem. Virtus poſt nummos, &c. But what ſaith a grave Author?Mr. Bolton. Better leave thy childe a Wallet to beg from door to door, than a curſed heard of evil-gotten goods. There is for moſt part lucrum in arca, damnum in conſcientia, gain in the purſe,August. but loſs in the conſcience.
But righteouſneſs delivereth from death] Piety, though poor, delivereth from the ſecond death, and from the firſt too, as to the evil of it. For as Chriſt took away the guilt of ſin, not ſin it ſelf; ſo hee hath taken away, not death, but the ſting of death from all beleevers; making it to ſuch, of a curſe, a bleſſing; of a puniſhment, a benefit; of a Trap-door to hell, a Portal to heaven; a Poſtern to let out temporal life, but a Street-door to let in eternal life.
Verſ. 3. The Lord will not ſuffer the ſoul of the righteous] That refuſeth to inrich himſelf by evil arts, and to riſe by wicked principles. For it might bee objected, If I ſtrain not my conſcience, I may ſtarve for it. Ob. Sol.Fear not that ſaith the Wiſe-man, Faith fears not famine; Neceſſaries thou ſhalt bee ſure of, Pſal. 37.25, 26. Pſal. 34.11. Superfluities thou art not to ſtand upon, 1 Tim. 6.8. The Hebrews by righteouſneſs in the former verſe underſtand Almſdeeds, as Dan. 4.24▪ 27. (See the Note on Matth. 7.1.) and ſo the ſenſe here may bee.foreign. The righteous, though hee give much to the poor, ſhall …e never the poorer; ſith not getting, but giving is the way to thrive. See my Common-place of Alms.
But hee caſteth away the ſubſtance of the wicked] For either they loſe it, or live beſide it, and are little the better for it. Hee that gotteth riches, and not by right, ſhall leave them in the middeſt of his dayes, and in his end bee a fool: God will make a poor fool of him quickly.Quo mihi divitias queis non conceditur …ti? Jer. 17.11. And the like may bee ſaid of the illiberal and tenacious perſon. See the Note on Chap. 3.27. Niggards fear to loſe their wealth by giving, but fear not to loſe their wealth and ſouls, and all, by keeping it.
Ob. Sol.Verſ. 4. Hee becometh poor] Leſt any ſhould ſay, If God do all, wee need do the leſs; Doing you muſt bee, ſaith the Wiſe-man, or elſe the beggar will catch you by the back; Labour alſo you muſt with your hands, working the thing that is good, that yee may have to give to him that needeth, Epheſ. 4.28.
But the hand of the diligent] Or of the nimble, that do motitare, ſaith Kimchi, are active and agile, that will loſe nothing for looking after, but take care of ſmalleſt matters that all go right, being frugal and parcimonious of time, husbanding the opportunity of thriving and plenty. How did Boaz follow the buſineſs himſelf? How were his eyes in every corner, on the ſervants, and on the Reapers, yea on the Gleaners too? Hee doth even lodge in the midſt of his husbandry, Ruth 2. and 3. as knowing well the truth of that proverbial ſentence,Columel. Procul à villa ſua diſſitus jacturae vicinus. Hee that is far from his buſineſs, is not far from loſs.
Verſ. 5. Hee that gathereth in Summer] A well-choſen ſeaſon is the greateſt advantage of any action; which as it is ſeldome found in haſte, ſo it is too often loſt in delay. The men of Iſſachar were in great account with David, becauſe they had underſtanding of the times, to know what Iſrael ought to do, and when to do it, 1 Chron. 12.32. So are they in great account with God for their wiſdome, who obſerve and uſe the ſeaſon of well-doing.
But hee that ſleepeth in harveſt] i. e. That lets ſlip his opportunity; as Plutarch writes of Hannibal, that when hee could have taken Rome hee would not; when hee would, hee could not. And as its ſtoried of Charles King of Sicily and Jeruſalem, that hee was called Carolus Cunctator, Charles the Lingerer, not (in the ſenſe as Fabius) becauſe hee ſtayed till opportunity came, but becauſe hee ſtayed till opportunity was loſt.
Verſ. 6. Bleſſings are upon the head] Plentifully and conſpicuouſly; they ſhall abound with bleſſings, Prov. 28.20. As the fear of the Lord is not onelyonly in them, but upon them, 2 Chron. 19.7. ſo bleſſings of all ſorts, a confluence of all ſpiritual and temporal comforts and contentments, ſhall bee, not onelyonly with them, but upon them, ſo that nothing ſhall hinder it. See Gal. 6.16. They are bleſſed, and they ſhall bee bleſſed, Gen. 27.33. Neither ſhall any roaring or repining Eſau bee able to reverſe it.
But violence covereth the mouth of the wicked] They ſhall bee certainly ſhamed, condemned, executed; as Haman whoſe face they covered, Eſth. 7.8. and ſhortly after ſtrangled. And as Sir Gervaiſe Ellowayes Lieutenant of the Tower, hanged on Tower-hill, for poyſoning Sir Thomas Overbury his priſoner. This Sir Gervaiſe being on the Gallows, freely confeſſed that hee had oft in his playing at Cards and Dice, wiſhed that hee might bee hang'd, if it were not ſo and ſo, and therefore confeſſed it was juſt upon him.
Verſ. 7. The memory of the juſt is bleſſed] Demetrius had a good report of the truth, 3 Joh. 12. In the Hebrew tongue the ſame word ſignifieth a good name, and a bleſſing. This is one of thoſe bleſſings mentioned verſ. 6. that ſhall bee heaped upon holy men. Holy and reverend is his Name, Pſal. 111.9. How comes Gods Name to bee reverend, but by being holy? Bee good, and do good, ſo ſhall thy name bee heir to thy life; yea, when thou art laid in thy grave, thy ſtock remains, goes forward, and ſhall do, till the day of Doom.
But the name of the wicked ſhall rot] and ſtink as putrified fleſh. Hypocrites then muſt bee detected, though they carry it never ſo clearly; how elſe ſhall they bee deteſted, and ſtink above ground? Simon Magus ſo handled the matter, that Philip miſtook him for a Beleever, and baptized him; but Peter ſoon ſmelt him out, and laid him open in his colours. Hee that perverteth his wayes ſhall bee known. Prov. 10.9. The Lord ſhall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity, for all their cunning contrivances, Pſal. 125.5.
Verſ. 8. The wiſe in heart ſhall receive Commandement] i.e. Submit to Gods holy Word without replies and cavils. This is check to the brave gallants of our age, which exerciſe their ripe heads and freſh wits in wreſtling with the truth of God, and take it for a glory to give it a foil. The Athenians encountred with Paul, and had argument for argument againſt him, that Chriſt was not the Saviour of the world, that hee was not riſen from the dead, &c. This ſhewed they were not wiſe in heart, though reckoned chief among the worlds wiſards.
But a prating fool ſhall fall] Or, Bee beaten; ſuch a fool was Diotrephes, 3 Joh. foreign.10. Who prated or trifled againſt Saint John with malicious words, and might have been therefore ſirnamed Nugax, as Rodulphus (that ſucceeded Anſelm in the See of Canterbury) was.Godw. Catal.
Verſ. 9. Hee that walketh uprightly, walketh ſurely] Becauſe keeping within Gods Precincts, hee keeps under his protection: as the King undertakes to ſecure him that travels the high way, and betwixt Sun and Sun. Hee is tutus ſub umbra l…onis, ſafe under the hollow of Gods hand, under the ſhadow of his wing, Pſal. 91.1.
Shall bee known] All ſhall out to his utter diſgrace. See verſ. 7. Or hee ſhall bee known, by ſome exemplary judgement of God inflicted upon him, for a terrour to others; as one that is hanged up in Gibbets.
Verſ. 10. Hee that winketh with the eye] That is, loath to ſtand to thoſe truths that ſhall bring him to ſuffering. Or hee that winketh wiles; for all winking is not condemned. See Joh. 13.34.
Cauſeth ſorrow] ſcil. To his own heart, ſinneth againſt his own ſoul: or cauſeth ſorrow, i. e. ſin, for ſo ſorrow is taken for ſin, Eccleſ. 11.10.
But a prating fool ſhall fall] Hee that runs himſelf upon needleſs danger, ſhall come to ruine. See Prov. 28.25. and the Note above, verſ. 8.
Verſ. 11. The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life] Vena vitae …s juſti. A fountain runs after it hath run, ſo doth a good mans mouth unceſſantly utter the words of truth and ſoberneſs, more perennis aquae. Act. 25.26.See the reaſon hereof, Pſal. 37.30 31. The Law of his God is in his heart, that Law of his mind, Rom. 7.23. that counterpane of the written Law, Heb. 8.10. that good treaſure, Matth. 12.35. that is daily drawn out, and yet not diminiſhed, Salienti aquarum fonti undas ſi tollas, nec exhauritur, nec extennatur, ſed dulceſcit. Take water from a well, it loſes nothing, but becomes better and ſweeter.
But violence covereth] See the Note on verſ. 6.
Verſ. 12. Hatred ſtirreth up ſtrifes] Eſpecially when hatred is grown from a paſſion to an habit; which is, when the heart is ſo ſetled in an alienation and eſtrangement from the perſon hated, that it grows to wiſh, and deſire, and ſeek his hurt. I could like that expoſition well if it were not Calvins, ſaid Maldonat; and that reformed Religion, if Luther had not had a hand in it, ſaid George Duke of Saxony.
But love covereth all ſins] See the Note on 1 Pet. 4.8. and on 1 Cor. 13.4. Love hath a large mantle. If I ſhould finde a Biſhop committing Adultery, (ſaid Conſtantine the great) I would cover that foul fact with mine Imperial Robe, rather than it ſhould come abroad to the ſcandal of the weak,Euſeb. and the ſcorn of the wicked. Love either diſſembleth a treſpaſs (if it bee light) or by a wiſe and gentle reproof ſeeks to reclaim the offender, claps a plaiſter on the ſore, and then covers it with her hand, as wee have ſeen Chirurgions do. See the Note on Levit. 19.17. Lutherus commodius ſentit quam loquitur, dum efferveſcit, ſaid Cruciger: So Melancthon, Sciebam horridius ſcripturum Lutherum quam ſentit. The ſayings, doings of others are reverenter gloſſanda, to have a reverent, a fair, and favourable gloſs put upon them, as one ſaid once of the Pontifician Laws. This is love.
Verſ. 13. In the lips of him, &c.] Grace is poured into his lips, as Pſal. 45.2. and hee poures it out as faſt, for the good of others; who do therefore admire him, as they did our Saviour, Luk. 4.22.
But a Rod is for the back] That ſith hee will not hear the word, hee may hear the Rod, and ſmart for his uncounſellableneſs, Mic. 6.9. Hee that trembleth not in hearing, ſhall bee broken to peeces in feeling, ſaith Bradford.
Verſ. 14. Wiſe men lay up knowledge] To know when to ſpeak, and when to bee ſilent. It is a great skill to bee able to time a word, Iſa. 50.4. to ſet it upon the wheels, Prov. 25.11. How forcible are right words? Job 6.25.
But the mouth of the fooliſh] An open mouth is a purgatory to the Maſter. Nemo ſtultus tacere poteſt, Eccleſ. 10.ſaith Solon. A fool tells all, ſaith Solomon. And, Ʋt quiſque eſt diſſolutiſſima vitae, ita eſt ſolutiſſimae linguae, ſaith Seneca. A fools bolt is ſoon ſhot, and as ſoon retorted oft-times upon himſelf.
Verſ. 15. The rich mans wealth, &c.] Wealthy worldlings think themſelves ſimply the better and the ſafer for their hoards and heaps of riches. The beſt of us are more ready to truſt in uncertain riches, than in the Living God, who giveth us all things richly to enjoy, 1 Tim. 6.17. Surely this ſhould humble us, that riches that ſhould bee our riſes to raiſe us up to God, or glaſſes to ſee the love of God in, our corrupt nature uſeth them as clouds, as clogs, &c. yea ſets them up in Gods place, and ſaith to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence, Job 31.24.
The deſtruction of the poor is their poverty] They are devoured by the richer Cannibals (Pſal. 14.4.) as the leſſer fiſh are by the greater. Men go over the hedge where it is loweſt. Poor and afflicted are joyned together, Zeph. 3.12. So are to want, and to bee abaſed, Phil. 4.12.
Verſ. 16. The labour of the righteous, &c.] If the righteous man may but ſweat out a poor living, get enough to bear his charges home to Heaven, have enough to ſerve his turn here, bee it but food and raiment, hee is content. Cibus & potus ſunt divitiae Chriſtianorum. The true Chriſtian deſires but meat and drink.1 Tim. 6.8.
The fruit of the Wicked] Or the revenues of the wicked are waſted upon their luſts, which to ſeek to ſatisfie, is an endleſs labour: beſides the danger of fathomleſs perdition, 1 Tim. 6.4.
Verſ. 17. Hee is in the way of life] Rich fools refuſe reproof; hold themſelves above admonition (Tange montes & fumigabunt) and are therefore by the juſt judgement of God, led through a fools Paradiſe, into a true Priſon. Divitibus ideo amicus de…ſt, quia nihil deeſt. Rich men have few faithful counſellors.
Verſ. 18. Hee that hideth hatred, &c.] Theſe are dangerous creatures that thus lye at the catch, and wait advantages to do a man miſchief, as Cain dealt by Abel, Abſolom by Amnon, Joab by Amaſa, Judas by Jeſus, Tuta frequenſque via eſt, &c.
And hee that uttereth a ſlander, is a fool] Becauſe hee hath no command of his paſſions, as the former ſeems to have, becauſe cloſe in cloaking his malice, who yet is a fool too before God.
Verſ. 19. In the multitude of words] In multiloquio ſtultiloquium. Many words are hardly well managed. Non eſt ejuſdem, ſaith one, It is ſeldome ſeen that a man of many words miſcarries not.
But hee that refraineth his lips] As Elihu did, Job 32.11. and as Epaminondas is worthily praiſed by Plutarch for this, quod nemo plura noſſet, & pauciora loqueretur; that no man knew more, and ſpake leſs than hee did.
Verſ. 20. The tongue of the juſt is as choice ſilver] Hee ſcattereth pearls, Mat. 7.6. hee throws abroad treaſure, Mat. 12.35. even Apples of Gold in ſhrines of Silver, Prov. 25.11. I will turn to the people a pure language, ſaith God, Zeph. 3.9. a lip of excellency, Prov. 17.7. the language of Heaven. As William the Conquerour ſought to bring in the French tongue here, by enjoyning children to uſe no other in ſchools, Lawyers to practiſe in French; no man was graced,Daniels Hiſt. but hee that ſpake French, &c.
The heart of the wicked is little worth] Est quaſi parum, is as little as need to bee. Hee is ever either hatching Cockatrice Eggs, or weaving Spiders Webs, as the Prophet hath it: Vanity or villany is his whole ſtudy, and his daily diſcourſe.Iſa. 59.5.
Verſ. 21. The lips of the righteous feed many] A great houſe-keeper hee is, hath his doors ever open; and though himſelf be poor, yet hee maketh many rich, 2 Cor. 6.10. hee well knows, that to this end God put Hony and Milk under his tongue, Cant. 3.11. that he might look to this Spiritual lip-feeding: to this end hath he communicated to him thoſe rivers of water, Joh. 7.38. that they may flow from him, to quench that world of wickedneſſe, that being ſet on fire of Hell, would ſet on fire the whole courſe of Nature, Jam. 3.6. They are empty vines that bear fruit to themſelves, Hoſ. 10.1.foreign. Thoſe are voyd houſes, we ſay, where the doors daily open not. The people hung upon our Saviours lips, as the young Bird doth on the Damms bill, Luk. 19.43. Biſhop Ridley preached every Lords-day, and Holy-day, except letted by ſome weighty buſineſſe:Act. & Mon. fol. 1559. to whoſe Sermons the people reſorted (ſaith Maſter Fox) ſwarming about him like Bees, and coveting the ſweet juyce of his gracious diſcourſes. Look how Joſeph nouriſhed his Fathers houſhold with Bread according to their Families, or according to the mouthes of their Families, Gen. 47.12. So doth the righteous man thoſe of his own charge eſpecially.Chepi tappam. Welfare Popery for that (ſaith a grave Divine.) I have heard old folks talk,M. Sam. Hier. that when in thoſe dayes they had Holy-bread (as they called it) given them at Church, they would bear a part of it to thoſe that did abide at home: So ſhould Maſters of Families carry home the bread of life to their Houſholds.
But fools dye for want of wiſdome] By their either refuſing or abuſing the food of their ſouls (as the Phariſees) they pine away in their iniquities, Levit. 26.39.
Verſ. 22. The bleſſing of the Lord it maketh rich] As is to be ſeen in the examples of the Patriarches, Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob, and others. Whereas there is a curſe upon unlawful practices though men be induſtrious as in Jeho…achim, Jer. 22. And all our policies without prayer are but Arena ſine calce, Sand without Lime, they will not hold together.
And he addeth no ſorrow with it] Thoſe three vultures ſhall bee driven away that conſtantly feed on the wealthy worldlings heart; Care in getting, Fear in keeping, Grief in loſing the things of this life. God giveth to his wealth without woe, ſtore without ſore, gold without guilt, one little drop whereof troubleth the whole ſea of all outward comforts. Richard the third had a whole Kingdom at command, and yet could not reſt in his bed for diſquietment of mind. Polydor Virgil thus writes of his Dreame that night before Boſworth-field: That he thought all the Devils in Hell pulled and haled him in moſt hideous and ugly ſhapes, and concludes of it at laſt: I do not think it was ſo much his dreame, as his evil conſcience that bred thoſe terrours.
Verſ. 23. It is a ſport to a fool to doe miſchief] He is then merrieſt, when hee hath the Devil for his play-fellow: He danceth to Hell in his bolts, and is paſſing well a paid for his woful bondage. Was hee a Father or a Monſter (think you) that playing with his own Childe, for a paſtime, put his thumbs in the boyes eyes, and thruſt out the balls thereof?Speed. This was Robert de Beliaſme Earl of Shrewsbury in the reign of our Henry the firſt, Anno Dom. 1111. And what a mad ſport was that of Joab and Abner, 2 Sam. 2.14. to ſee and ſet thoſe youngſters of Helkath Hazzurim to ſheath their ſwords in their fellows bowels? And that of Nero, who ſet the City of Rome on fire for his pleaſure, whiles he plaid on his Harp the deſtruction of Troy?
But a man of underſtanding hath wiſdome] Viz. For his ſport or delight. It is his meat and drink, his Hony and Hony-comb, &c. Lib…nter omnibus omnes opes conceſſerim, ut mihi liceat, vi nulla interpellante, iſto modo in literis vivere, ſaith Cicero. I would give all the wealth in the world,Lib. 9. Epiſt. that I might live altogether in my Study, and have nothing to trouble me.Leo. Digges. Slatt. o… 1 Ep. to Theſſal. Ep. dedic Peach. Comp Gentle. Idem in his vally of vanity. p. 116. Crede mihi extingui du…ce eſſet Mathematicarum artium ſtudio, ſaith another; Beleeve me, it were a dainty death, to dye ſtudying the Mathematicks. Nuſquam requiem inven… niſi in libro & clauſtro, ſaith a third; All the comfort I have is in a Book, and a Cloyſter, or Cloſet. Mentior if my ſoul accord him not, ſaith learned Doctor Slatter. The old Lord Burley (Lord high Treaſurer) to his dying day would carry always a Tullies Offices about him, either in his boſome or pocket. And the Emperour Charls the Fifth, took ſuch delight in the Mathematicks, that even in the midſt of his whole Army, in his Tent, he ſate cloſe at his ſtudy; having for that purpoſe as his inſtructer, Turrianus of Cremona evermore with him. So ſweet is the knowledge of Human Arts to thoſe that have taſted them: How much more the knowledge of the Holy (which ſaith Agur, is to aſcend up into Heaven, Prov. 30.3, 4.) to thoſe mature ones, who by reaſon of uſe have their ſenſes exerciſed to diſcern both good and evil? Heb. 5.14. See Pſal. 119.103. Job 23.12. Rom. 7.22.
Verſ. 24. The fear of the wicked ſhall come upon him] A ſound of fear is in his ears: in proſperity the deſtroyer ſhall come upon him, Job 15.21. Peſſimus in dubiis Augur Timor — Thus it befel Cain, Statius in Thebaid.Saul, Belſhazzer, Pilate (who for fear of Caeſar delivered up Chriſt to bee Crucified, and was afterwards by the ſame Caeſar kicked off the Bench; yea off the Stage of the world) thoſe wicked Jewes that feared that the Romans would come and take away both their place and Nation, John 11.48. which accordingly befell them ſome forty years after;Hic rogo, non furor eſt, ne moriare, mori? at which time ſome of them alſo killed themſelves, leſt they ſhould bee taken by the enemy. The like may bee ſaid of our Richard the third, (ſee the Note on Verſ. 22.) and Henry the Fourth of France, after his revolt to Popery. He being perſwaded by the Duke of Sully, not to readmit the Jeſuites, which had been baniſhed by the Parliament of Paris, anſwered ſuddenly, Give me then ſecurity for my life: Camde…s Eliſab. pref.and afterwards admitted them into his boſome, making Father Cotton his Confeſſor, and uſing them ever with marvellous reſpect; yet was ſtabbed to the heart by Ravilliac, through their inſtigation. Excellent is that of Solomon, Prov. 29.25. The fear of man bringeth a ſnare: but who ſo putteth his truſt in the Lord (as Hezekiah did, 2 King. 17.4, 5. and our King Edward the Sixth, and that peerleſſe Queen Elizabeth) ſhall be ſafe.
But the deſire of the righteous ſhall bee granted] Provided that theſe bee the lawful deſires of honeſt hearts. If ſuch ask and miſſe, it is becauſe they ask amiſſe, Jam. 4.3. either they fail in the matter, as Moſes in his deſire to enter into the promiſed Land, or in the manner, as the Church in the Canticles, chap. 5.3. Virtutem exoptant, intabeſcuntque relicta, they would, and they would not:Pe…. There is a kind of wambling willingneſſe and velleity, but it boyls not up to the full height of reſolution for God, and utmoſt endeavour after the thing deſired: Now affection without endeavour is like Rachel, beautiful but barren. Or laſtly, they fayl in the end, either of Intention, Jam. 4.3. or of Duration, Luk. 18.1. they draw not near with that true heart, Heb. 10.22. that is, content either to wait, or to want the thing deſired, being heartily willing that God ſhould be glorified, though themſelves be not gratified. Let them but bring this true heart, and they may have any thing. See the Note on Matth. 5.6.
Verſ. 25. As the whirlwind paſſeth away] The whirlwind is terrible for the time, but not durable: Lo ſuch is the rage of Tyrants and Perſecutors. Nubecula eſt, cito tranſibit, ſaid Athanaſius of the Arrian Perſecution. Our Richard the third, and Queen Mary, had, as the bloudieſt, ſo the ſhorteſt reigns of any ſince the Conqueſt: Bloudy and deceitful men ſhall not live out half their dayes. Diocleſian, Euſeb. de vit. Conſt. lib. 3.that cruel Perſecutor, giving over his Empire, decreed to lead the reſt of his life quietly. But he eſcaped not ſo: For after that, his houſe was wholly conſumed with Lightning, and a flame of Fire that fell from Heaven; hee hiding himſelf for fear of the Lightning, dyed within a little while after. Then terrours took hold on him as waters, a tempeſt ſtealeth him away in the night. The Eaſt wind carrieth him away and he departeth; and as a ſtorm hurleth him out of his place; for God ſhall caſt upon him, and not ſpare: hee would fain flee out of his hand. Men ſhall clap their hands at him, and ſhall hiſſe him out of his place; as Job elegantly and emphatically ſets it forth, Job 27.20, 21, 22, 23.
But the righteous is the everlaſting foundation] Or, is the foundation of the world, as firm as the worlds foundation, which remains unmoveable. The Hebrews ſenſe it thus, The righteous is the foundation of the world, which, but for their ſakes, would ſoon ſhatter, and fall to ruine. Sanctum ſemen ſtatumen terrae, Abſque ſtationibus non ſtaret mundus.Iſa. 6.13. I bear up the pillars of it, ſaith David, Pſal. 75.3.
Verſ. 26. So is the ſluggard to them that ſend him] Habent aulae ſuum cito, cito, What thou doeſt, do quickly, ſaid our Saviour to the Traytor. Hee cannot away with dulneſs and oſcitancy in any of his, but condemns it in thoſe ſlow things the Hebrews, Heb. 5.11. and commands them double diligence,foreign. Chap. 6.11, 12. Not ſlothful in buſineſs, fervent in ſpirit, ſerving the Lord, Rom. 12.11. A dull heart makes no riddance. Baruc accendit ſeipſum, Neh. 3.20. repairing earneſtly, and ſo finiſhed his task in ſhorter time. Let Ambaſſadours, Miniſters, Meſſengers, &c. nimble up their buſineſs, or look for no thank. What a deal of content gave Cranmer to Henry the eighth, by his expediting the buſineſs of the Divorce both at home and abroad in forein Univerſities? And what a deal of diſtaſte gave Wolſey by the contrary?
Verſ. 27. The fear of the Lord prolongeth dayes] Heb. Addeth dayes, viz. Beyond expectation or likelihood in a courſe of nature, Gen. 27.41. The dayes of mourning for my Father are at hand, ſaid bloody Eſau, and then will I ſlay my brother Jacob. But threatned men (if they fear God eſpecially, Eccleſ. 8.12, 13.) live long. For even Iſaac who dyed ſooneſt, lived above fifty years beyond this. See the Note on Exod. 20.12.
But the years of the wicked ſhall bee ſhortned] Bee not overmuch wicked, neither bee thou fooliſh: Why ſhouldeſt thou dye before thy time? Eccleſ. 7.17. Sin brings death, and the worſt of deaths, an unſeaſonable death, when it were better for a man to do any thing than to dye; for to ſuch, death is a Trap-door to hell: And as their friends are ſcrambling for their goods, the worms for their bodies, ſo are the Devils for their ſouls.
Verſ. 28. The hope of the righteous ſhall bee gladneſs] The righteous doth not ſo fear God, verſ. 2.7. but that hee hopes in him alſo. See Pſal. 130.4, 5. and that with ſuch an hope as maketh not aſhamed. Deo confiſi nunquam confuſi: The righteous hath hope in his death, Prov. 14.32. his Motto is, Cum expiro, ſpero, My hope laſts beyond life.
But the expectation of the wicked] As Eſau came from hunting with his head full of hopes, but went away with his heart full of blanks, and his face full of bluſhing.
Verſ. 29. The way of the Lord is ſtrength] The joy of the Lord (that joy of hope, ſpoken of in the precedent verſe) is their ſtrength, Neh. 8. the peace of God within them, and the power of God without them bears up their ſpirits under whatſoever preſſures; ſuch can boldly ſay, It is well with mee for the preſent, and it will bee better hereafter.
But deſtruction] Such as they ſhall never bee able, either to avoid, or to abide.
Verſ. 30. The righteous ſhall never bee removed] Or they ſhall not bee removed for ever, though for a while they may ſeem to bee ſo.
But the wicked ſhall not inhabit the earth] God ſits upon the circle of the earth, to ſhake them out thence, as by a Canvaſe.
Verſ. 31. The mouth of the juſt, &c.] Heb. Buddeth forth, as a fruit-tree, to which the tongue is fitly and finely here reſembled. Hence ſpeech is called the fruit of the lips.
But the froward tongue ſhall bee cut out] As a fruitleſs tree is cut down to the fire. Neſtorius the Heretick his tongue was eaten off with worms.Neſtorii lingua vermibus exeſa. Arch-biſhop Arundels tongue rotted in his head. From Miriams example, Num. 12. the Jew Doctors gather, that Leproſie is a puniſhment for an evil tongue, and in ſpecial for ſpeaking againſt Rulers. The Lady de Breuſe had by her virulent and railing tongue more exaſperated the fury of King John (whom ſhee reviled as a Tyrant and a Murtherer) than could bee pacified by her ſtrange preſent (of four hundred Kine, and one Bull, all milk-white,Speeds Chron. fol. 572. except onelyonly the ears which were red) ſent unto the Queen.
Verſ. 32. The lips of the righteous] Hee carries, as it were, a pair of ballances betwixt his lips, and weighs his words before he utters them. Et prodeſſe velens & delectare — willing to ſpeak things both acceptable and profitable. The wicked throws out any thing that lyes uppermoſt, though never ſo abſurd, obſcene, defamatory, &c.
Aera pu…o noſci tinnit…, ſed pectora verbis:
Sic eſt, namque id ſunt utraque quale ſonant…