Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Ecclesiastes · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. Verſ. 1. Caſt thy bread]
Acts and Mon. fol. 765.THine own well-gotten goods. Alms muſt not bee given (ſaid a Martyr) until it have ſweat in a mans hand. Let him labour working with his hands (ſaith the Apoſtle) that hee may have to give to him that needeth, Epheſ. 4.28. And the bountiful man giveth of his bread to the poor,Amos 2.8 ſaith Solomon, Prov. 22.9. God hateth to have ex rapina holocanſtum, a ſacrifice of things got by rapine and robbery: With ſuch Sacrifices God is not well-pleaſed. Wherefore if thou haſt of thine own, give: If not, better for thee to gratifie none, than to grate upon any, ſaith Auguſtine. When our Henry the third (an oppreſſing Prince) had ſent a load of Freeze to the Frier Minors to cloathe them,Dan. hiſt. 168 they returned the ſame with this meſſage, that hee ought not to give Alms of what hee had rent from the poor,foreign Buxtorf. neither would they accept of that abominable gift. The Hebrew word ſignifying Alms, ſignifies properly Juſtice; to intimate, that the matter of our alms ſhould bee goods juſtly gotten. Hence alſo the Jews call their Alms-box Kuphaſhel tſedaka, the cheſt of Juſtice. Into this box or basket, if thou caſt but bread (ſo it bee thy bread) brown bread, ſuch as thou haſt, and then wait for the Lord, when hee will return from the wedding with a full hand, thou ſhalt bee fed ſupernae menſae copioſis deliciis, as one ſaith, with the abundant dainties of the heavenly table.
foreign.Upon the waters] Heb. Upon the face of the waters, where it may ſeem clearly caſt away; as ſeed ſown upon the Sea, or a thing thrown down Avon (as wee ſay) no profit or praiſe to bee had by it. Or upon the waters, i. e. upon ſtrangers (if neceſſitous) whom wee never ſaw, and are never like to ſee again. Or upon the waters, i. e. upon ſuch as being hunger-bit, or hardly beſtead, do water their plants, being fed with bread of tears, as Pſal. 80.5. To this ſenſe Munster renders the words thus, Mitte panem tuum ſuper facies aquas, ſc. emittentes, caſt thy bread upon faces watered with tears. Or upon the waters, upon the ſurface of the waters, that it may be carried into the Ocean, where the multitude of waters is gathered together: ſo ſhall thine alms carried into Heaven bee found in the Ocean of Eternity, where there is a confluence of all comforts and contentments. Or laſtly, upon the waters, i. e. in loca irrigua, upon grounds well watered, moiſt and fertile ſoil,Blounts voy. p. 37 Herod. lib. 1. c. 193. Plin. lib. 6. c. 26. ſuch as is that by the River Nilus, where they do but throw in the ſeed, and they have four rich Harveſts, in leſs than four months: or as that in the Land of Shinar (where Babel was founded, Gen. 11.) that returns (if Herodotus and Pliny may bee beleeved) the ſeed, beyond credulity.
For thou ſhalt finde it after many daies] Thou ſhalt reap in due time, if thou faint not, ſlack not, withdraw not thy hand as verſ. 6. Mitte panem, &c. & in verbo Domini promitto tibi, &c. ſaith one, Caſt thy bread confidently without fear, and freely without compulſion, caſt it, though thou ſeem to caſt it away, and I dare promiſe thee in the name and word of the Lord,Greg. Thaum. Nequaquam infrugifera apparebit beneficentia, that thy bounty ſhall bee abundantly recompenſed into thy boſome. The liberal ſoul ſhall bee made fat, and hee that watereth ſhall bee watered himſelf, Prov. 11.25. See the Note there: See alſo my Common-place of Alms. Non pereunt ſed parturiunt pauperibus impenſa, That which is given to the poor is not loſt, but laid up. Not getting, but giving is the way to wealth, Prov. 19.17. Abigail for a ſmall preſent beſtowed on David, became a Queen, whereas churliſh Nabal was ſent to his place.
Verſ. 2. Give a portion to ſeven, and alſo to eight] A portion, i. e. a good deal, a fair proportion to a good many; as B. Hooper did to his board of beggers, whom hee fed every day by courſe, ſerving them by four at a meſs,Act. and Mon. f. 13 c 8. with whole and wholeſome meats. Or give a portion, i. e. a part, ſuch as thou canſt well part with, not ſtretching beyond the ſtaple, leſt yee mar all, whiles others are eaſed, and you burthened, but by an equality, &c. 2 Cor. 8.13, 14.Luk. 6 Give to him that asketh, ſaith our Saviour, ſcil. according to his neceſſity, and thine ability; Give with diſcretion, Pſal. 112. have a ſpecial reſpect to the family of faith, Gal. 6. thoſe excellent ones of the earth,Pſal. 16.3 in whom was Davids delight. The Jews from this Text grounded a cuſtome of giving alms to ſeven poor people every day, or to eight at utmoſt, if they ſaw cauſe. But here is a finite number put for an infinite, as when Chriſt bade Peter forgive his brother ſeventy times ſeven times, and as Micah 5.5. ſeven Shepheards, and eight principal men, ſignifie ſo many Shepheards, both Teachers and Rulers, as ſhall ſufficiently feed the flock of Chriſt, and defend it from enemies.
For thou knoweſt not what evil ſhall bee upon the earth] Therefore lay in luſtily; or rather, lay out liberally, and ſo lay up for a rainy day; thou mayeſt bee ſoon ſhred of thy goods, and as much need other mens mercy as they now need thine. Sow therefore whilſt thou haſt it, that thou mayeſt reap again in due ſeaſon. Water, that thou mayeſt bee watered again, Prov. 11.25. lay up for thy ſelf a good foundation againſt the time to come, 1 Tim. 6.18. Lay out thy talent; work whiles the tool is in thine hand. Make friends with thy Mammon. Say not as one rich churl did, when requeſted to do ſomewhat toward his Miniſters maintenance; The more I give, the leſs I have: Another anſwered, that hee knew how to beſtow his mony better: A third old man ſaid, I ſee the fore-end of my life, but I ſee not my latter, I may come to want that which I now give. Thou mayeſt do ſo, ſaith Solomon here, and by thy tenacity thou art very likely to do ſo; but wilt thou know O man, how thou mayeſt prevent this miſery, and not feel what thou feareſt? Give a portion to ſeven, &c. part therefore freely with that which thou art not ſure to keep, that thou mayeſt gain that which thou art ſure never to loſe. Hee that giveth to the poor ſhall not lack, Prov. 28.27.
Verſ. 3. If the clouds bee full of rain] As the Sun draws up vapours into the air, not to retain them there, but to return them to the earth, for its relief, and the creatures comfort: ſo thoſe that have attracted to themſelves much riches, ſhould plentifully pour them out for the benefit of their poorer brethren. Clouds, when full of great and ſtrong Rain (as the word here ſignifies) pour down amain; and the ſpouts run, and the eves ſhed, and the preſſes over-flow, and the aromatical trees ſweat out their precious oyls; ſo ſhould rich men bee ready to diſtribute, willing to communicate. But it falls out otherwiſe, for commonly the richer the harder, and thoſe that ſhould bee as clouds to water the earth, as a common bleſſing, are either waterleſſe clouds (as St. Jude hath it) or at beſt, they are but as water-pots, that water a few ſpots of ground onelyonly in a ſmall garden.Domini inarſupium. The earth is Gods purſe, as one ſaith; and rich mens houſes are his ſtore-houſes. This the righteous rich man knoweth, and therefore hee diſperſeth (as a ſteward for God) hee giveth to the poor, his righteouſneſs (and his riches too) endureth for ever, Pſal. 112.9. Whereas the wicked rich man retaineth his fulneſs to rot with him; hee feedeth upon earth like a Serpent, and ſtriveth like a Toad, to dye with much mould in his mouth; and is therefore bidden by St. James, to weep and howl for the miſeries that are comming upon him, for his curſed hoard of evil gotten and worſe kept goods. The rottenneſs of his riches, the canker of his caſh, the moth of his garments ſhall bee a witneſs againſt him, and eat up his fleſh as fire, James 5.1, 2, 3. Hee ſhall bee ſure to bee arraigned as an arrant theef, as a curſed couſener; for that,Mal. 1.14 having a better thing by him, hee brings a worſe, and being a rich man, hee makes himſelf poor, leſt hee ſhould do good to the poor. As Pope Alexander the fifth ſaid of himſelf, that when hee was a Biſhop, hee was rich, when a Cardinal, hee was poor, and when hee was Pope, hee was a begger. I ſhould ſooner have beleeved him, if hee had ſaid as his ſucceſſor Pius Quintus did,Corn. a Lap. in Numb. 11.11 Cum eſſem religioſus, ſperabam bene de ſalute animae meae; Cardinalis factus exti…ui; Pontifex creatus pene deſpero. When I was firſt in Orders (without any further Eccleſiaſtical dignity) I had good hopes of my ſalvation; when a Cardinal, I feared my ſelf; but now that I am Pope, I am almoſt out of hope.
And if the tree fall toward the South] i. e. Which way ſoever it groweth, it fructifieth: ſo ſhould rich men bee rich in good works, 1 Tim. 6.18. and being fat Olive-trees,Pſal. 52.… they ſhould bee (as David) green Olive-trees, full of good fruits. Or thus, trees muſt down, and men muſt die; and as trees fall South-ward, or North-ward, ſo ſhall men bee ſet either at the right hand of the Judge, or at the left, according as they have carried themſelves towards Chriſts poor members, Matth. 25. Up therefore and bee doing whiles life laſteth; and ſo lay hold upon eternal life. Mors atra impendet agenti. Where the boughs of holy deſires and good deeds are moſt and greateſt, on that ſide no doubt the tree will fall: but being fallen, it can bear no fruit for ever.
Verſ. 4. Hee that obſerveth the wind ſhall not ſow] In ſowing of mercy, hee that ſticks in ſuch objections and doubts, as carnal men uſe to frame out of their covetous and diſtruſtful hearts, neglects his ſeeds-time, by looking at winds and clouds, which is the guize of a lewd and lazy ſeeds-man. A word in ſeaſon (ſaith Solomon) ſo a charitable deed in ſeaſon, how good is it? Hee that defers to do good in hope of better times, or fitter objects, or fewer obſtacles, or greater abilities, &c. it will bee long enough ere hee will do any thing to purpoſe. When God ſets us up an Altar, wee muſt offer a ſacrifice; when hee affords us an opportunity, wee muſt lay hold on it, and not ſtand ſcrupling and caſting perils, leſt wee loſe the ſowing of much ſeed, and reaping of much fruit; leſt wee come with our talent tied up in a napkin, and hear, Thou idle and therefore evil ſervant.
Verſ. 5. As thou knoweſt not what is the way of the Spirit] Or, Of the wind, as ſome render it, grounding upon the former verſe, q. d. why ſhould any ſo obſerve the wind, the nature whereof hee ſo little underſtands, John 3.8. and the inconſtancy whereof is grown to, and known by a common proverb? But by ſpirit I rather think is meant the ſoul, as by bones the body. Who can tell when and how the body is formed, the ſoul infuſed? The body is the ſouls ſheath, Dan. 7.15. an abridgement of the viſible world, as the ſoul is of the inviſible. The members of the body were made all by book, Pſal. 139.16. and curiouſly wrought in the loweſt parts of the earth, that is, in the womb: Homo eſt foreign. Eurip.as curious work-men, when they have ſome choice peece in hand, they perfect it in private, and then bring it forth to light, for men to gaze at. What an admirable peece of work is mans head-peece, (Gods Maſter-peece in this little world) the chief ſeat of the ſoul, that cura divini ingenii, as one calls it? There is nothing great on earth but man, nothing in man but his mind, ſaid the Philoſopher.Fav…rin. Many locks and keyes argue the price of the Jewel that they keep; and many papers wrapping the token within them, the worth of the token. The Tables of the Teſtament, Firſt, Laid up in the Ark; Secondly, The Ark bound about with pure gold; Thirdly, Overſhadowed with Cherubims wings; Fourthly, Incloſed with the veil of the Tabernacle; Fifthly, With the compaſs of the Tabernacle; Sixthly, With a Court about all; Seventhly, With a treble covering of Goats, Rams, and Badgers-skins above all, muſt needs bee precious Tables. So when the Almighty made mans head (the ſeat of the reaſonable ſoul) and over-laid it with hair, skin and fleſh, like the threefold covering of the Tabernacle, and then incompaſſed it with a skull of bones like boards of Cedar, and afterwards with divers skins like ſilken curtains; and laſtly, Encloſed it with the yellow skin that covers the brain (like the purple veil) which Solomon calls the golden Ewre, Eccleſ. 12.6. hee would (doubtleſs) have us to know it was made for ſome great treaſure to bee put therein. How and when the reaſonable ſoul is put into this curious Cabinet, Philoſophers diſpute many things, but can affirm nothing of a certainty: as neither how the bones do grow in the womb, how of the ſame ſubſtance, the ſeveral parts (as bones, nerves, arteries, veins, griſtles, fleſh and blood) are faſhioned there, and receive daily increaſe. This David looks at as a juſt wonder, Pſal. 139.14, 15. Mirificatus ſum mirabilibus operis tuis, Montanus.ſaith hee, I am fearfully and wonderfully made: and Galen, a prophane Philoſopher, could not but hereupon ſing an hymn to mans moſt wiſe Creator, whom yet hee knew not.
Even ſo thou knoweſt not the work of God] i. e. The reſt of his works of creation and providence, which are very various, and to us no leſs unknown, than uncertain. Do thou that which God commandeth, and let things fall out as they will;Prov. 3.5 Iſa. 58.7 there is an over-ruling hand in all for the good of thoſe that love God. Truſt therefore in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not to thine own underſtanding. Hide not thine eyes from thine own fleſh: Hee that doth ſo ſhall have many a curſe. The Apoſtle uſeth a word for liberality, foreign. 2 Cor. 8.2which properly ſignifieth ſimplicity: and this hee doth in oppoſition to that crafty and witty wilineſs of the covetous, to defend themſelves from the danger (as they take it) of liberality.
Verſ. 6. In the morning ſow thy ſeed, &c.] At all times bee ready to every good work, as the Bee is abroad, ſo ſoon as ever the Sun breaks forth.Tit. 3.1 Sow mercy in the morning, ſow it likewiſe in the evening, as thoſe bountiful Macedonians did, to the ſhame of thoſe richer, but harder Corinthians, ſending once and again to Pauls neceſſities, 2 Cor. 8.3. with Phil. 4.16. Oh ſow much and oft of this unfailable ſeed into Gods bleſſed boſome; the fruit whereof you are ſure to reap at your greateſt need. Men may bee thankful, or they may not, Perraro grati reperiuntur, ſaith Cicero: it is ten to one if any cured Leper turn again to give thanks. But God is not unrighteous to forget your labour of love in miniſtring to his Saints, Heb. 6.10. Haply, you may not ſow and reap the ſame day, as the widow of Sarepta did: haply the ſeed may lye under ground ſome while, and not bee quckned except it dye; but have patience, nothing ſo ſure as a crop of comfort to thoſe that are duely merciful. Up therefore and bee doing, loſe no time, ſlip no ſeaſon. It but a morning and an evening, one ſhort day of life wherein wee have to work, and to advance your bleſſedneſs. Sow therefore continually: bleſſed is hee that ſoweth beſides all waters:Acts and M…n. Bleſſed Bradford held that hour loſt wherein hee had not done ſome good with his hand, tongue, or pen. Titus remembring one day that hee had done no good to any one, cryed out, Amici, diem perdidi: And again, Hodie non regnavimus. Wee have loſt a day, &c. This was that Titus that never ſent any ſuitor away with a ſad heart; and was therefore counted and called, Humani generis deliciae, the darling of mankind, the peoples ſweet-heart. The Senate loaded him with more praiſes when hee was dead, than ever they did living and preſent.
Verſ. 7. Truly the light is ſweet] The light of life, of a lightſome life eſpecially. Any life is ſweet; which made the Gibeonites make ſuch an hard ſhift to live, though it were but to bee hewers of wood, and drawers of water. I pray thee let mee live, live upon any terms, ſaid Benhadad in his ſubmiſſive meſſage to that merciful Non-ſuch, 1 King. 20.32. If I have found favour in thy ſight, O King, and if it pleaſe the King, let my life bee given mee at my petition,Sic de Aſpaſia Mileſia Cyri concubina Aelian lib. 12. cap. 1. var. hiſt. ſaid that foreign, that paragon of her time, Q. Eſther. cap. 7.3. Ebedmelech is promiſed his life for a prey, Jer. 39.18. And ſo is Baruc, as a ſufficient reward of that good ſervice hee had done in reading the Roll, for the which hee expected ſome great preferment, Jer. 45.5. compared with chap. 36.1, 2. The Prophet chides him, and tells him hee might bee glad of his life in thoſe dear years of time, when the arrows of death had ſo oft come whisking by him, and hee had ſo oft ſtradled over the grave, as it were, and yet was not fallen into it. To maintain our radical humour, that feeds the lamp of life, is as great a miracle (ſaith One) as the oyl in the widows cruiſe, that failed her not. To deliver us from ſo many deaths and dangers, as wee are daily and hourly ſubject unto, is a mercy that calls for continual praiſes to the Preſerver of mankind: But more, when men do not onelyonly live, but live proſperouſly, as Nabal did, 1 Sam. 25.6. Thus (ſaid David to his meſſengers) ſhall yee ſay to him that liveth, viz. in proſperity. Which ſuch a man as Nabal reckons the onelyonly life. The Iriſh uſe to ask what ſuch a man meant to dye? And ſome good Interpreters are of opinion, that the Preacher in this verſe brings in the carnal carl objecting, or replying for himſelf againſt the former perſwaſions to acts of charity: Ah! ſaith hee, but, for all that, to live at the full, to have a goodly inheritance in a fertile ſoil, in a wholeſome air, near to the River, not far from the Town; to bee free from all troubles and cares that poverty bringeth, to live in a conſtant ſun-ſhine of proſperity, abundance, honour and delight, to have all that heart can wiſh, or need require, what an heavenly life is this? what a lovely and deſirable condition? &c.Pſal. 34.12 What man is hee that deſireth life, and loveth many daies that hee may ſee good? ſaith David. I do, ſaith one, and I, ſaith another, and I, a third, &c. as St. Auſtin frames the anſwer. It is that which all worldlings covet, and hold it no policy to part with what they have to the poor, for uncertainties in another world. In anſwer to whom, and for a cooler to their inordinate love of life, the Preacher ſubjoyns,
Verſ. 8. But if a man live many years and rejoyce, &c.] q.d. Say hee live pancratice & baſilice, and ſit many years in the worlds warm ſun-ſhine, yet he muſt not build upon a perpetuity, as good Job did (but was deceived) when hee ſaid, I ſhall dye in my neſt, Job 29.18 Pſal. 30and holy David, when hee concluded, I ſhall never bee moved: For as ſure as the night follows the day, a change will come, a ſtorm will riſe, and ſuch a ſtorm, as to wicked worldlings will never be blown over. Look for it therefore, and bee wiſe in time. Remember the daies of darkneſs, that is, of adverſity, but eſpecially of death and the grave. The hotteſt ſeaſon hath lightning and thunder. The Sea is never ſo ſmooth, but it may bee troubled; the Mountain not ſo firm, but it may bee ſhaken with an earthquake. Light will bee one day turned into darkneſs, pleaſure into pain, delights into weariſomeneſs, and the dark daies of old age and death, far exceed in number the lightſome daies of life, which are but a warm gleam, a momentary glance. Let this bee ſeriouſly pondred, and it will much rebate the edge of our deſires after earthly vanities. Dearly beloved, ſaith St. Peter, I beſeech you as Pilgrims and ſtrangers abstain from fleſhly luſt, &c. q. d. 1 Pet. 2.12The ſad and ſober apprehenſion of this, that you are here but ſojourners for a ſeaſon, and muſt away to your long home, will lay your luſts a bleeding, and a dying at your feet: It is an obſervation of a Commentator upon this Text, that when Samuel had anointed Saul to bee King, to confirm unto him the truth of the joy, and withall to teach him how to bee careful in governing his joy, hee gave him this ſign, When thou art departed from mee to day, 1 Sam. 10.2thou ſhalt finde two men at Rachels ſepulchre. For hee that findeth in his mind a remembrance of his grave and ſepulchre, will not eaſily bee found exorbitant in his delights and joyes. For this it was (belike) that Joſeph of Arimathea had his ſepulchre ready hewn out in his garden. The Aegyptians carried about the Table a deaths-head, at their feaſts; and the Emperours of Conſtantinople, Iſidor.on their Coronation-day, had a Maſon appointed to preſent unto them certain Marble-ſtones, uſing theſe enſuing words,
Elige ab his ſaxis ex quo, Invictiſſime Caeſar,
Ipſe tibi …umulum me fabricare velis.
Chuſe (Mighty Sir) under which of theſe ſtones,
Your pleaſure is ere long to lay your bones.
Verſ. 9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth] i. e. Do if thou dareſt: like as God ſaid to Balaam, Riſe up and go to Balak, Numb. 22.20. that is, go if thou thinkeſt it good: go, ſith thou wilt needſly go; but thou goeſt upon thy death. Let no man imagine that it ever came into the Preachers heart here, oleum camino addere, to add fuel to the fire of youthful luſts, to excite young people (unruly enough of themſelves) to take their full ſwinge in ſinful pleaſures. Thus to do might better befit a Protagoras, of whom Plato reports,Plato in Menen. that hee many times boaſted, that whereas hee had lived threeſcore years, forty of thoſe threeſcore hee had ſpent in corrupting thoſe young men that had been his pupils: or that old Dotrel in Terence, that ſaid, Non eſt mihi crede, flagitium adoleſcentem helluari, potare, ſcortari, fores effringere. I hold it no fault for young men to ſwagger, drink, drab, revel, &c. Solomon in this Text, either by a Mimeſis brings in the wilde yonker thus beſpeaking himſelf, Rejoyce, my ſoul, in thy youth, &c. and then nips him on the crown again with that ſtinging But in the end of the verſe. Or elſe (which I rather think) by an ironical Conceſſion hee bids him rejoyce, &c. yeelds him what hee would have, by way of mockage and bitter-ſcoff: like as Elias jeered the Baalites, bidding them cry aloud unto their drowſie or buſie God: or as Micaiah bade Ahab (by an holy ſcoff) go up againſt Ramoth Gilead and proſper:Mark. 14.41 Or as our Saviour bade his drowſie Diſciples, Sleep on now, and take your reſt, viz. if you can at leaſt, or have any minde to it, with ſo many Bills and Halberds about your ears.
And let thine heart chear thee in the daies of thy youth] In diebus electionum tuarum (ſo Arias Montanus reads it) in the daies of thy chuſings, that is,Luke 12. when thou followeſt the choice (and the chaſe) of thine own deſires, and doſt what thou wilt without controll.
Walk in the way of thine heart] Which bids thee Eat, drink, and bee merry; and had as lief bee knockt on the head, as do otherwiſe. Hence faſting is called an afflicting of the ſoul; and the beſt finde it no leſs grievous, to go about holy duties, than it is to children, to bee called from their ſports, and ſet to their books.
And in the ſight of thine eyes.] Thoſe windows of wickedneſs, and loop-holes of luſt.
But know] Here is that which marrs all the mirth, here is a cooler for the yonkers courage, ſowre ſauce to his ſweet meats, for fear hee ſhould ſurfeit. Verbahaet Solomonis valde emphatica ſunt (ſaith Lavater) there is a great deal of emphaſis in theſe words of Solomon. Let mee tell thee this as a Preacher, ſaith hee: And oh that I could get words to gore the very ſoul with ſmarting pain, that this Doctrine might bee written in thy fleſh!
That for all theſe things] Theſe tricae, as the world accounts them, theſe trifles and tricks of youth, which Job and David bitterly bewailed as ſore buſineſſes.
God will bring thee to judgement] Either in this life, as hee did Abſolom and Adoniah, Hophni and Phinehas, Nadab and Abihu, or infallibly at thy deaths-day, which indeed is thy dooms-day, then God will bring thee perforce, bee thou never ſo loth to come to it; hee will hale thee to his tribunal, bee it never ſo much againſt thy heart, and againſt the hair with thee. And as for the judgement what it ſhall bee, God himſelf ſhews it, Iſa. 28.17. Judgement will I lay to the line, and righteouſneſs to the plummet, and the hail ſhall ſweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters ſhall over-flow the hiding-place. Where, what is the hail (ſaith One) but the multitude of accuſations, which ſhall ſweep away the vain hope that men have, that the infinite mercy of God will ſave them, howſoever they live? And what is the hiding-place, but the multitude of excuſes which men are ready to make for themſelves, and which the waters of Gods juſtice ſhall quite deſtroy and overthrow? Young men, of all men, are apt to make a Covenant with death, and to put far away from them the thought of judgement. But it boots them not ſo to do: for Senibus mors in januis, adoleſcentibus in inſidiis, ſaith Bernard. Death doth not alwaies knock at door, but comes often like a lightning or thunderbolt; it blaſteth the green corn, and conſumeth the new and ſtrong building. Now at death it will fare nothing better with the wilde and wicked youngſter, than with that theef, that having ſtollen a Gelding, rideth away bravely mounted, till ſuch time as being overtaken by hue and cry, he is ſoon afterwards ſentenced and put to death.
James 4.8Verſ. 10. Therefore remove ſorrow from thine heart] One would have thought hee ſhould have ſaid rather (conſidering the premiſes) Remove joy from thy heart, Let thy laughter be turned into mourning, and thy joy into heavineſs; turn all the ſtreams into that chanel that may drive that Mill that may grind the heart. But by ſorrow here or indignation (as Tremellius renders it) the Preacher means ſin, the cauſe of ſorrow: and ſo hee interprets himſelf in the next words, Put away evil from thy fleſh, i. e. Mortifie thy luſts.
For childe-hood and youth are vanity] The Septuagint and Vulgar render it, Youth and pleaſure are vain things. They both will ſoon bee at an end.