Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Proverbs · Chapter 20
CHAP. XX. Verſ. 1. Wine is a mocker, &c.]
FOr (firſt) it mocks the Drunkard, and makes a fool of him, promiſing him pleaſure,Decepit ebrietas Lotum quem Sodoma non decepit. foreign. but paying him with the ſtinging of an Adder, and biting of a Cockatrice, Chap. 23.32. (See the Note there.) Wine is a comfortable creature, Judg. 9.12. one of the chief lenitives of humane miſeries, as Plato calls it; but exceſs of wine, 1 Pet. 4.3. is (as one well ſaith) Blondus daemon, dulce venenum, ſuave peccatum; quam qui in ſe habet, ſe non habet; quam qui facit, non facit peccatum, ſed totus eſt peccatum. That is, a fair ſpoken Devil, a ſweet poiſon, a ſin which hee that hath in him, hath not himſelf, and which hee that runs into, runs not into a ſingle ſin, but is wholly turned into ſin. Secondly, It renders a man a mocker, even one of thoſe ſcorners, for whom judgements are prepared, as Solomon had ſaid in the fore-going verſe. See Hoſ. 7.5. Iſa. 28.1. 1 Sam. 25. Abigail would not tell Nabal of his danger till hee had ſlept out his Drunkenneſs, leſt ſhee ſhould have met wich a mock, if not with a knock.
Strong drink is raging] All kinde of drink that will alienate the underſtanding of a man, and make him drunk; As Ale, Beer, Sider, Perry, Metheglin, &c. Of this Pliny cries out, Hei, mirâ vitiorum ſolertiâ inventum eſt quemadmodum aqua quoque inebriaret. Portentoſum ſanè potionis genus! Lib. 14 cap. ult.quaſi non ad alium uſum natura parens humano generi fruges dediſſe videatur. So witty is wickedneſs grown now, that there is a way invented to make a man drunk with water; a monſtrous kinde of drink ſurely! as if Dame nature had beſtowed corn upon us to ſuch a baſe a baſe. See the Note on Chap 23.29. Saint Paul very fitly yoaketh together Drunkards, and Raylers, 1 Cor. 6.9.
And whoſoever is deceived thereby is not wiſe] For when the wine is in, the wit is out. They have a practice of drinking the Out's, as they call it; all the wit out of the head, all the money out of the purſe, &c. And thereby affect the title of Roaring Boyes, by a woful Prolepſis (doubtleſs) here for hereafter.
Verſ. 2. The fear of a King is as the roaring of a Lion. See Chap. 16.14. and 19.12.
Verſ. 3. It is an honour for a man to ceaſe from ſtrife] To ſtint it rather than to ſtir it; to bee firſt in promoting peace and ſeeking reconciliation, as Abraham did in the controverſie with Lot, Memento (ſaid Ariſtippus to Aeſchines, Plutarch. de cohib. ira.with whom hee had a long ſtrife) quod cum eſſem natu major, prior te acceſſerim. Remember ſaid hee, that though I am the elder man, yet I firſt ſought reconciliation. I ſhall well remember it, ſaid Aeſchines, and whiles I live,Laer. l. 2. I ſhall acknowledge thee the better man, becauſe I was firſt in falling out, and thou art firſt in falling in again.
But every fool will bee medling] Or mingling himſelf with ſtrife; hee hath an itching to bee doing with it, to bee quarrelling, brabling, lawing.Caeſar. com. Once it was counted ominous to commence actions, and follow ſutes. Now nothing more ordinary, for every trifle, treading upon their graſs, or the like. This is as great folly, as for every ſlight infirmity to take Phyſick.
Verſ. 4. The ſluggard will not plow by reaſon of the cold] So the ſpiritual ſluggard either dreams of a delicacy in the wayes of God (which is a great vanity) or elſe if heaven bee not to bee had without the hardſhip of holineſs, Chriſt may keep his heaven to himſelf.Mat. 19.22. The young man in the Goſpel went away grieved that Chriſt required ſuch things that hee could not bee willing to yeeld to. The Hebrews have a common Proverb amongſt them; Hee that on the even of the Sabbath hath not gathered what to eat, ſhall not at all eat on the Sabbath: Meaning thereby, that none ſhall reign in heaven, that hath not wrought on earth. Man goeth forth (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) to his work, and to his labour untill the evening, Pſal. 104.23. So till the Sun of his life bee ſet, hee muſt bee working out his ſalvation. This is to work the work of him that ſent us, as our Saviour did. Which expreſſion of working a work, notes his ſtrong intention upon it, as Jer. 18.18. to deviſe devices, notes ſtrong plotting to miſchief the Prophet. So Luke 22.15. With a deſire have I deſired, &c. yea how am I ſtraightned, till it bee accompliſhed? Luke 12.50. Lo Chriſt thirſted exceedingly after our ſalvation, though hee knew it ſhould coſt him ſo dear. Is not this check to our dulneſs and ſloth?
Verſ. 5. Counſel in the heart of a man is like deep water] See Chap. 18.4. As the red Roſe, though outwardly not ſo fragrant, is inwardly far more cordial than the Damask, being more thrifty of its ſweetneſs, and reſerving it in it ſelf: So it is with many good Chriſtians.
But a man of underſtanding will draw it out] And ſurely this is a fine skill to bee able to pierce a man that is like a veſſel full of wine, and to ſet him a running.
Verſ. 6. Moſt men will proclaim every one his own goodneſs] As the Kings of Egypt would needs bee called foreign, Bountiful, or Benefactors; many of the Popes Pit and Bonifacii, &c. The Turks will needs bee ſtiled the only Muſulmans, or true Beleevers; as Papiſts the onelyonly Catholicks. The Swenk feldians (Stinkfeldians, Scbluſſenb,Luther called them from the ill ſavour of their opinions) intituled themſelves with that glorious name, The Confeſſours of the glory of Chriſt. Hiſtor. Dav. Georg.David George that monſtrous Heretick, that was ſo far from accounting Adulteries, Fornications, Inceſts, &c. for being any ſins, that hee did recommend them to his moſt perfect Scholars, as acts of grace, and mortification, &c. yet hee was wonderfully confident of the abſolute truth of his tenets, and doubted not but that the whole world would ſoon ſubmit to him, and hold with him. Hee wrote to Charles the Emperour, and the reſt of the States of Germany, an humble and ſerious admonition (as hee ſtiled it) written by the command of the Omnipotent God, diligently to bee obeyed, becauſe it contained thoſe things whereupon eternal life did depend.
But a faithful man who can finde] Diaconos paucitas honorabiles fecit, ſaith Hierome. The paucity of pious perſons makes them precious. Perrarò grati reperiuntur, ſaith Cicero. It is hard to finde a thankful man. Faithful friends are in this age all for the moſt part gone in Pilgrimage,Daniels Hiſt. and their return is uncertain, ſaid the Duke of Buckingham to Biſhop Morton, in Richard the third his time.
Verſ. 7. The just man walketh in his integrity] Walketh conſtantly; not for a ſtep or two onelyonly,Continenter ambulat. when the good fit is upon him. See the Note on Gen. 17.1.
His children are bleſſed after him] Perſonal goodneſs is profitable to poſterity; yet not of merit, but of free grace, and for the promiſe ſake; which Jehu's children found and felt to the fourth Generation, though himſelf were a wicked Idolater.
Verſ. 8. A King that ſitteth in the Throne of Judgement, &c.] Kings in their own perſons ſhould ſit and judge of cauſes ſometimes; to take knowledge (at leaſt) what is done by their officers of Juſtice. I have ſeen the King of Perſia many times to alight from his horſe (ſaith a late Traveller) onelyonly to do juſtice to a poor body.The Preachers Travels, by John Cartwright. Hee puniſheth theft and man-ſlaughter ſo ſeverely, that in an age a man ſhall hardly hear either of the one, or of the other.
Verſ. 9. Who can ſay I have made my heart clean?] That can I, ſaith the proud Phariſee, and the Popiſh Juſtitiary. Non habeo Domine, quod mihi ignoſcas; I have nothing Lord for thee to pardon, ſaid Iſidore the Monk. When Saint Paul, that had been in the third Heaven, complains of his inward impurities, Rom. 7.15. and though hee ſhould have known no evil by himſelf, yet durſt hee not look to bee thereby juſtified, 1 Cor. 4.4. And holy Job could ſay,Job 9.30, 31. If I waſh my ſelf with ſnow-water, and make my hands never ſo clean; yet God would plunge him in the ditch, ſo that his own cloths ſhould abhor him. And if thou Lord ſhouldeſt mark iniquities, ſaith David, who ſhould ſtand before thee? Pſal. 130.3.
Verſ. 10. Divers weights, and divers meaſures, &c.] See the Notes on chap. 11.1. & 16.11. Now if the very weights and meaſures are abomination, how much more the men that make uſe of them? And what ſhall become of ſuch as meaſure to themſelves a whole ſix daies, but curtal Gods ſeventh, or miſ-imploy it?
Verſ. 11. Even a childe is known by his doings, &c.] Either for the better, as wee ſee in young Joſeph, Sampſon, Samuel, Solomon, Timothy, Athanaſius, Origen, &c. It is not a young Saint, an old Devil; but a young Saint, an old Angel: Or for the worſe, as Canaan the ſon of Ham (who is therefore curſed with his Father, becauſe (probably) hee had a hand in the ſin,) Iſmael, Eſau, Vajezatha, the youngeſt ſon of Haman, Eſth. 10.9. Hebricians obſerve, that in the Hebrew this youths name is written with a little Zain, Amama.but a great Vau, to ſhew, that though the youngeſt, yet he was the moſt malicious againſt the Jews, of all the ten. Early ſharp, ſay we, that will be thorn.
Verſ. 12. The hearing ear, and the ſeeing eye, &c.] There are that have ears to hear, and hear not; that have eyes to ſee, and ſee not: for they are a rebellious houſe, Ezek. 12.2. Now when God ſhall ſay to ſuch, as Iſa. 42.18. Hear yee deaf, and look yee blind, that you may ſee; when hee ſhall give them an obedient ear, and a Scripture-ſearching eye, ſenſes habitually exerciſed to diſcern both good and evil, Heb. 5.14. ſo that they hear a voyce behind them, ſaying, This is the way, &c. and they ſee him that is inviſible, as Moſes: then is it with them as it is written, Eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, &c. i. e. Natural eye never ſaw, natural ear never heard ſuch things;1 Cor. 2.9, 10 But God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit.
Verſ. 13. Love not ſleep, leſt thou come to poverty] In ſleep there is no uſe either of ſight or hearing, or any other ſenſe. And as little is there of the Spiritual ſenſes in the ſleep of ſin, Zach. 4.1. It fared with the good Prophet as with a drowſie Perſon, who though awake and ſet to work, yet was ready to ſleep at it; and Peter, James, and John, if the Spirit hold not up their eyes, may be in danger to fall aſleep at their prayers, Matth. 26. and ſo fall into Spiritual poverty: for if Prayer ſtands ſtill, the whole trade of Godlineſs ſtands ſtill. And a powerleſs Prayer, proceeding from a ſpirit of ſloth, joyned with preſumption, makes the beſt men liable to puniſhment for profaning Gods Name: ſo that he may juſtly let them fall into ſome ſin, which ſhall awaken them with ſmart enough. See chap. 19.15. with the Note.
Verſ. 14. It is naught, it is naught, ſaith the buyer] Or, ſaith the poſſeſſour; and ſo Melancthon reads it: as taxing that common fault and folly of ſlighting preſent mercies, but deſiring and commending them when they are loſt. Virtutem incolumem odimus, ſublatam ex oculis quarimus invidi, Iſrael deſpiſed the pleaſant land, Pſal. 106.24. and the precious Manna, Numb. 11.6. and Solomons gentle Government, 1 King. 12.4. Our corrupt nature weighs not good things till we want them; as the eye ſees nothing that lyes upon it.
Verſ. 15. There is gold and a multitude of rubies] Quintilian defines an Oratour, Vir bonus, dicendi peritus. A good man,foreign. that can deliver himſelf in good language. Such a maſter of ſpeech was St. Paul, who was therefore by thoſe Heathen Lyſtrians called Mercury, becauſe he was the chief Speaker, Acts 14.12. Such afore him was the Prophet Iſaiah, and our Saviour Chriſt, who ſpake as never man ſpake, his enemies themſelves being Judges. Such after him was Chryſoſtome, Baſil, Nazianzen, famous for their holy eloquence. So were Mr. Rogers and Mr▪ Bradford Martyrs: in whom it was hard to ſay, whether there were more force of eloquence and utterance in preaching,Act. & Mon. fol. 1782. Juſtin. lib. 1. or more holineſſe of life and converſation, ſaith Mr. Fox. Now it Darius could ſay, that he preferred one Zopyrus before ten Babylons: And if when one deſired to ſee Alexanders Treaſures and his Jewels, he bade his Servants ſhew him not foreign, but foreign, not his talents of ſilver, and ſuch other precious things, but his friends:Liban. exemplar. Progym. Chri. 1. What an invaluable Price think we doth the King of Heaven ſet upon ſuch learned Scribes, as doe out of the good treaſure of their hearts, throw forth good things for the uſe of many?
Verſ. 16. Take his garment] and ſo provide for their own indempnity. See the notes on chap. 6.1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
And take a pledge of him for a ſtrange woman] i. e. for a Whoriſh woman, utcunque tibi ſit cog nita, vel etiam cognata. Hee that will undertake for ſuch a ones debts, or run in debt to gratifie her, ſhould bee carefully lookt to, and not truſted without a ſufficient pawn.Euſeb. in vit. Conſtant. How can hee bee faithful to mee that is unfaithful to God? ſaid Conſtantinus Chlorus to his Courtiers and Counſellors?
Verſ. 17. Bread of deceit is ſweet to a man] Sins murthering-morſels will deceive thoſe that devour them. There is a deceitfulneſſe in all ſin, Heb. 3.13. a lye in all vanity, Jer. 2.8. The ſtollen waters of adultery are ſweet, Prov. 9.17. but bitterneſſe in the end: ſuch ſweet meat hath ſowre ſauce. Commodities craftily or cruelly compaſſed, yeeld a great deal of content for preſent. But when the unconſcionable Cormorant hath ſwallowed down ſuch riches, he ſhall vomit them up again; God ſhall caſt them out of his belly, Joh. 20.15. Either by remorſe and reſtitution in the mean time, or with deſpair and impenitent horrour hereafter.
His mouth ſhall be filled with gravel] Pane lapidoſo, as Seneca hath it, with grit and gravel, to the torment of the teeth, that is, terrour of the Conſcience, and torture of the whole man. Such a bitter-ſweet was Adams Apple, Eſaus meſs, the Iſraelites Quails, Jonathans Hony, the Amalekites Cates after the ſack of Ziklag, 1 Sam. 30.16. Adonijahs Dainties, 1 King. 1. which ended in horrour; ever after the meal is ended, comes the reckoning. Men muſt not think to dine with the Devil, and then to ſup with Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob in the Kingdome of Heaven: to feed upon the poyſon of Aſps, and yet that the Vipers tongue ſhall not ſlay them, Job 20.16. When the Aſpe ſtings a man, it doth firſt tickle him, ſo as it makes him laugh, till the poyſon by little and little gets to the heart,Speed in Q. Elizah. and then it pains him more than ever it delighted him. So doth ſin. At Alvolana in Portugal three miles from Lisbon, many of our Engliſh Souldiers under the Earl of Eſſex periſhed, by eating of Honey, purpoſely left in the houſes, and ſpiced with poyſon, as it was thought. And how the treacherous Greeks deſtroyed many of the Weſtern Chriſtians, French and Engliſh, marching toward the Holy-land, by ſelling them meal mingled with Lime, is well known out of the Turkiſh Hiſtory.
Verſ. 18. Every purpoſe is eſtabliſhed by counſel] That thy proceedings bee not either unconſtant or uncomfortable,Deliberandum eſt diu quod ſtatuendum eſt ſemel. deliberate long ere thou reſolve on any enterpriſe. Adviſe with God eſpecially, who hath ſaid, Woe bee to the rebellious children that take counſel, but not of me, &c. Iſa. 30.1. David had able Counſellours about him: but thoſe he moſt eſteemed and made uſe of, were Gods teſtimonies, Pſal. 119.24. Thy teſtimonies alſo are my delight, and the men of my counſel. Princes had learned men ever with them, called foreign Remembrancers, Monitors, Counſellours, as Themiſtocles had his Anaxagoras, Alexander his Ariſtotle, Scipio his Panaetius and Polybius: of which latter Pauſanias teſtifieth,Paſuan. lib. 8. that he was ſo great a Politician, that what he adviſed never miſcarried. But that is very remarkable that Gellius reports of Scipio Africanus, that it was his cuſtome before day to goe into the Capitol in cellam Jevis, and there to ſtay a great while, quaſi conſultans de Rep. cum Jove, as if hee were there adviſing with his God concerning the Common-wealth:Gell. lib. 7. Whence it was that his deeds were pleraque admiranda, admirable for the moſt part, ſaith the Author. But we have a better example: David in all his ſtreights went to ask counſel of the Lord,1 Cor. 1.30. Iſa. 9.6. who anſwered him. Doe we ſo, and God will not fail us, for he hath made Chriſt wiſedome unto us, and a wonderful Counſellour.
And with good advice make warre] Ahab in this might have been a Precedent to good Joſiah. He would not goe againſt Ramoth-Gilead, till he had firſt adviſed with his falſe Prophets. But that other Peerleſs Prince, though the famous Prophet Jeremy was then living, and Zephaniah, and a whole Colledge of Seers, yet he doth not ſo much as once ſend out of doors to ask, ſhall I goe up againſt the King of Aegypt? Sometimes both grace and wit are aſleep in the holieſt and warieſt breaſts. The Souldiers rule among the Romans was, Non ſequi, Vege…. l. 1. c. 17 Lucian.non fugere bellum: Neither to fly, nor to follow after warre. The Chriſtian Motto is, Nec temorè nec timidê, be neither temerarious nor timorous. And that's a very true ſaying of the Greek Poet,
Lucian.foreign
foreign.
Verſ. 19. He that goeth about as a Tale-bearer] Therefore make not ſuch of thy counſel: For if they can give counſel, yet they can keep none. See the note on chap. 11.13.
Therefore meddle not with him that flattereth] Tale-carriers and flatterers are neither of them fit Counſellors. Theſe will ſay as you ſay, bee it right or wrong; thoſe will tell abroad all that you ſay, and more, too to do you a miſchief. The good Emperour Aurelius was even bought and ſold by ſuch evil Counſellors. And Auguſtus complained when Varus was dead, that hee had none now left, that would deal plainly and faithfully; with him.
Verſ. 20. Who ſo curſeth his father, &c.] See the Notes on Exod. 21.17. and on Mat. 15.4. Parents uſually give their children ſweet and ſavoury counſel; but they, for want of grace, liſten rather to flatterers and whiſperers, vilipending their Parents advice, and vilifying them for the ſame, as Elies ſons did.
His lamp ſhall bee put out in obſcure darkneſs] Heb. In blackneſs of darkneſs. Theſe are thoſe raging waves of the Sea, foaming out their own ſhame, — to whom is reſerved the blackneſs of darkneſs for ever, Jude 13. An exquiſite torment, ſuch are ſure of in hell, whom the Holy Ghoſt curſeth in ſuch emphatical manner, in ſuch exquiſite termes; Beſides the extream miſery they are likely here to meet with, who when they ought to bee a lamp to their parents, 1 King. 15.4. (as Abner was, or by his name ſhould have been) do ſeek to put out their lamp, to caſt a ſlur upon them, and to quench their coal that is left, as ſhee ſaid, 2 Sam. 14.7. It may very well bee that the temporal judgement here threatned, is, that ſuch a graceleſs childe ſhall dye childleſs, and that there ſhall bee Nullus cui lampada tradat.
Verſ. 21. An inheritance may bee gotten haſtily, &c.] By wiſhing and working the death of Parents, or by any other evil arts whatſoever. See an inſtance hereof in Achan, Achab, Gehezi, Adonijah his leaping into the Throne without his Fathers leave. Jehoahaz alſo, the younger ſon of Joſiah, would needs bee King after his Father, putting by his eldeſt brother Jehoiakim; but hee was ſoon put down again, and put into bands by Pharaoh Necho, 2 King. 23. Hee pourtrayed the Ambitioniſt to the life, that pictured him ſnatching at a Crown, and falling, with this Motto, Sic mea fata ſequor.
Verſ. 22. Say not thou, I will recompence evil] Much leſs, ſwear it, as ſome miſcreants do: to whom, Eſt vindicta bonum, & vitâ dulcius ipſâ. In reaſon, tallying of injuries is but juſtice. It is the firſt office of juſtice (ſaith Tully) to hurt no body, unleſs firſt provoked by injury. Whereupon Lactantius, O quàm ſimplicem veramque ſententiam (ſaith hee) duorum verborum adjectione corrupit! O what a dainty ſentence marred the Oratour by adding thoſe two laſt words! How much better Seneca! immane verbum eſt ultio. Non minus mali eſt injuriam referre quam inferre. La et. Inſtit. l. 6. c. 20.Revenge is a baſe word, but a worſe deed; it being no leſs an offence to requite an injury, than to offer it, as Lactantius hath it. The mild and milken man (as his name ſpeaks him) was ſuch an enemy to revenge, that hee diſlikes the waging either of law, or of war with any that have wronged us. Wherein though I cannot bee of his minde, yet I am clearly of opinion, that not revenge but right ſhould bee ſought in both. Neither can I hold it valour, but raſhneſs, in our Richard the firſt, who being told as hee ſate at ſupper, that the French King had beſiedged his Town of Vernoil in Normandy, proteſted, that hee would not turn his back untill hee had confronted the French; and thereupon hee cauſed the wall of his palace that was before him to bee broken down toward the South, and poaſted to the Sea-coaſt immediately into Normandy.
But wait on the Lord] Who claims vengeance as his, Deut. 32.35. Rom. 12.19. (See the Notes there) and will ſtrike in for the patient, as hee did Num. 12.2. While Moſes is dumb, God ſpeaks; deaf, God hears and ſtirs. Make, God your Chancellour, in caſe no law will relieve, and you ſhall do your ſelves no diſſervice. If compelled to go a mile, rather than revenge, go two; yea, as far as the ſhooes of the preparation of the Goſpel of peace will carry you, and God will bring you back with everlaſting joy, Iſa. 35.10. This is the way to bee even with him that wrongs you, nay to bee above him.
Verſ. 23. Divers weights are an abomination] In righting and revenging themſelves men are apt to weigh things in an uneven ballance, to bee overpartial in their own cauſe, and to judge that an hainous offence in another, that is ſcarce blame-worthy in themſelves. It is beſt therefore to lay down all injuries at Gods feet, who will bee ſure to give a juſt recompence to every tranſgreſſion, Heb. 2.2. and will elſe turn his wrath from our enemies to us, for our diverſe weights and falſe ballances. See the Note on verſe 10. of this Chapter.
Verſ. 24. Mans goings are of the Lord] See the Notes on Chap. 16.1, 9. God brought Paul to Rome by a way that hee little dreamed of. Auſtin once travelling loſt his way,Aug. in Enchirid. ad Laurent. cap. 17. and fetching a compaſs came ſafe to the place hee intended; whereas had hee kept the right way, hee had been caught by an armed band of the Donatiſts that lay in wait for him. The ſteps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, Pſal. 37.23. and hee findes himſelf ſometimes croſſed with a bleſſing: As when Iſabel Queen of England was to repaſs from Zeland into this Kingdome with an Army, in favour of her ſon againſt her husband, ſhee had utterly been caſt away, had ſhee come to the port intended, being there expected by her enemies; but Providence (againſt her will) brought her to another place where ſhee ſafely landed. Good therefore, and worthy of all acceptation is the Wiſe-mans counſel, In all thy wayes acknowledge GOD, and hee ſhall direct thy path, Prov. 3.6. See the Note there.
Verſ. 25. It is a ſnare to a man who devoureth, &c.] Hee doth as a fiſh that ſwallows the hook, as the Eagle that ſtole the fleſh from the Altar with a coal ſticking to it, that ſet the whole neſt on fire, &c. What a ſad end befell Cardinal Wolſey, Act. & Mon.whileſt hee ſought more to pleaſe the King than God, as himſelf ſaid? And what a revenging hand of God purſued his five chief Agents that were moſt inſtrumental for him in that ſacrilegious enterpriſe? One of them killed his fellow in a duel, and was hanged for it. A third drowned himſelf in a Well. A fourth fell from a great eſtate to extream beggery. Dr. Allen (the laſt and chiefeſt of them) being Arch-biſhop of Dublin, was cruelly ſlain by his enemies.Scult. Annal. tom. 2. p. 332. Utinam his & ſimilibus exemplis edocti diſcant homines res ſemel Deo conſecratas timidè attrectare! ſaith Scultetus, who relates this ſtory; I would men would take heed by theſe and the like examples how they meddle with things once conſecrated to God. If Divine Juſtice ſo ſeverly puniſhed thoſe that converted Church goods (though not ſo well adminiſtred) to better uſes, doubtleſs, becauſe they did it out of ſelfiſh and ſinful principles and intentions; what ſhall become of ſuch as take all occaſions to rob God, that they may inrich themſelves?Luth. in Gen. 47 Spoliantur parochiae & Scholae non aliter ac fi fame necare nos velint, ſaith Luther, Pariſhes and Schools are polled and robbed of their mantenance, as if they meant to ſtarve us all.
And aftervews to make inquiry] viz. How hee may devour that tid bit without kecking, and not finde it hard meat on his conſcience. But a man may eaſily eat that on earth,Speeds Chron. fol. 826. that hee ſhall have time enough to digeſt in hell. The fear of this made Queen Mary reſtore again all Eccleſiaſtical livings aſſumed to the Crown, ſaying, that ſhee ſet more by the ſalvation of her own ſoul, than ſhee did by ten Kingdoms.Ibid. 496. And upon the like motive King Lewis of France (about the year 1152.) caſt the Popes Bulls (whereby hee required the fruits of vacancies of all Cathedral Churches of France) into the fire, ſaying, Hee had rather the Popes Bulls ſhould roaſt in the fire, than his own ſoul ſhould fry in hell.
Verſ. 26. A wiſe King ſcattereth the wicked] Dreins the Country of them by his juſt ſeverity, yet with due diſcretion, as appears by the latter words, and bringeth the wheel over them, Blunts Voyage pag. 12. Zevecat. in obſerv. polit.compared with Iſa. 28.27, 28. The Turks juſtice will rather cut off two innocent men, than let one offender eſcape. The Venetians puniſh with death whoſoever ſhall miſ-imploy a penny of the publick ſtock to his own private profit. Dureſcite, dureſcite, ô infoelix Lantgravic, ſaid the poor Smith to the Lantgrave of Thuring, that was more milde than was for his peoples good. The ſword of Juſtice muſt, I confels, bee furbuſhed with the oyl of mercy; but yet there are caſes wherein ſeverity ought to caſt the ſcale.
Verſ. 27. The ſpirit of a man is the candle of the Lord] Some read it, The breath of a man, that is, his life, is the candle of the Lord, and ſenſe it thus Look how men deal by their Lights or Lamps, ſo doth God by our Lives; Some we put out as ſoon as lighted: others we let alone till half waſted, and others again till Wax, and Week, and all be conſumed. So ſome dye younger, ſome older, as God pleaſeth. But the word Neſhamah here uſed, as it holds affinity with the Hebrew Shamajim Heaven, ſo it doth with the Latine word Mens the Mind, or reaſonable Soul, which indeed is that light that is in us, by an excellency, Matth. 6.23. that ſpirit of a man that knows the things of a man, 1 Cor. 2.11. that candle that is in a mans belly or body, as in a Lanthorn, making the leaſt more perſpicuous. This is true by a ſpecialty of that Divine faculty of the Soul, Conſcience, which is frequently called the Spirit of a man, as being planted of God in all and every part of the reaſonable Soul; where ſhe produceth occaſionally ſeveral operations, being the Souls School-maſter. Monitor, and Domeſtical Preacher; Gods ſpye, and Mans over-ſeer; the principal Commander, and chief Controuler of all his doings and deſires.
Conſcia mens ut cuique ſua eſt, ita concipit intraOvid.
Pectora pro facto ſpemque metumque ſuo.
Surely it is a moſt Celeſtial gift (ſaith one.) It is ſo of God and in man,Bifeild on 1 Pet. 2. that it is a kind of middle thing betwixt God and man; leſs than God, and yet above man.Huet. of Conf. It may be called our God (ſaith another) in the ſenſe that Moſes was Pharaohs: having power to controul and avenge our diſobediences, with greater Plagues than ever Moſes brought on Aegypt. Auſon.Therefore that was no evil counſel of the Poet.— Imprimis reverere teipſum. And, Turpe quid auſurus, te, ſine teſte, time.
Verſ. 28. Mercy and truth preſerve the King] Theſe are the beſt guard of his Body, and ſupporters of his Throne. Mildneſs and righteouſneſs, leuity and fidelity doe more ſafe-guard a Prince than munitions of rocks, or any war-like preparations: amidſt which Henry the fourth of France periſhed, when Queen Elizabeth of England lived and dyed with glory. That French King being perſwaded by the Duke of Sully not to re-admit the Jeſuits, anſwered; Give me then ſecurity for my life. But he was ſhortly after ſtabbed to death by their inſtigation: when our Queen, that ſtuck faſt to her Principles, was not more loved of her Friends than feared of her Foes, being protected by God beyond expectation. Our King John thought to ſtrengthen himſelf by gathering mony, the ſinews of War: but mean-while he loſt his peoples affections, thoſe joynts of peace, and came after endleſs turmoyls to an unhappy end. So did our late Soveraign of bleeding memory.
Verſ. 29. The glory of young men is their ſtrength] ſc. If well uſed, in following their Callings, and fighting for their Countries, as thoſe young men of the Princes of the Provinces did, 1 King. 20.20. and not in quarrelling and Duelling, as thoſe yongſters of Helketh-hezzurim, 2 Sam. 2.who ſheathed their ſwords in their fellows bowels.
And the beauty of old men is their gray-head] That ſilver crown of hoary hairs (ſaith one) which the finger of God doth ſet upon their heads, makes them Venerable in all places where they come: ſo that they carry an authority or majeſty with them, as it were. See the Note on chap. 16.31.
Verſ. 30. The blowneſſe of the wound cleanſeth] Some muſt be beaten black and blew, ere they will be better: neither is wit any thing worth with them till they have paid well for it. The Jewes were ever beſt when in worſt condition. The Athenians, Non niſi atrati, would never mend till they were in mourning. And, Anglica geus eſt optima fleus, & peſſima rident,
As a great Stateſ-man ſaid of this Nation. Phyſicians commonly cure a Lethargie by a Fever. Chirurgians let their Patients bloud ſometimes, etiam ad deliquium animae. The Scorpion heals his own wounds: and the Viper being beaten and applied cures his own biting. Surely as the ſcourging of the garment with a ſtick, beats out the mothes and the duſt: ſo doe corrections corruptions from the heart; and as launcing lets out filth, ſo doth affliction ſin.