Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Ecclesiastes · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. Verſ. 1. Remember now thy Creatour.]
HEB. Creatours, ſcil. Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, called by Elihu, Eloa Gnoſai, God my Makers, Job 35.10. and by David, the Makers of Iſrael, Pſal. 149.1. ſo Iſa. 54.5. Thy Makers is thine Husbands. Let us make man, Gen. 1.26. and verſe 1. Dei creavit. Thoſe three in One, and One in Three made all things; but man hee made fearfully and wonderfully, Pſal. 139.14. The Father did it, Epheſ. 3.9. The Son, Heb. 1.8, 10. Col. 1.16. The Holy Ghoſt, Pſal. 33.6. and 104.30. Job 36.13. and 33.4. To the making of Man, a Council was called, Gen. 1.29. Sun, Moon, and Stars are but the work of his fingers, Pſal. 8.3. but Man is the work of his hands, Pſal. 139.14. Thine hands have made mee (or took ſpecial pains about mee) and faſhioned mee, ſaith Job, chap. 10.8. thou haſt formed mee by the book, ſaith David, Pſal. 139.16. Hence the whole Church ſo celebrates this great work with Crowns caſt down at the Creators feet, Rev. 4.10, 11. And hence young men alſo, who are moſtly moſt mindleſs of any thing ſerious (for childe-hood and youth are vanity) are here charged to remember their Creatour, that is (as dying David taught his young Son Solomon) to know, love, and ſerve him, with a perfect heart, and a willing mind, 1 Chron. 28.9. (for words of knowledge in Scripture imply affection and practice) Tam Dei meminiſſe opus eſt quam reſpirare, To remember God is every whit as needful as to draw breath; ſith it is hee that gave us being at firſt, and that ſtill gives us foreign, life and breath, Act. 17.25. Let every thing therefore that hath breath, praiſe the Lord, even ſo long as it hath breath; yea let it ſpend and exhale it ſelf in continual ſallies, as it were, and egreſſions of affection unto God, till it hath gotten, not onelyonly an union, but an unity with him. Of all things, God cannot endure to bee forgotten.
In the daies of thy youth] Auguſtus began his ſpeech to his mutinous ſouldiers, with Audite ſenem, juvenes, quem juvenem ſenes and ierunt, You that are young, hear mee that am old, whom old men were content to hear, when I was but young. And Auguſtine beginneth one of his Sermons thus, Ad vos mihi ſermo, O juvenes, flos aetatis, periculum mentis, To you is my ſpeech, O young men, the flower of age, the danger of the mind. To keep them from danger, and direct them to their duty it is, that the Preacher here exhorts them to remember God betimes, to gather Manna in the morning of their lives, to preſent the firſt-fruits to God, whoſe ſoul hath deſired the firſt ripe fruits, Micah 7.1. and who will remember the kindneſs of their youth, the love of their eſpouſals, Jer. 2.1. God of old would bee honoured with the firſtlings of men and of cattel, by the firſt-fruits of trees, and of the earth, in the ſhe…f, in the threſhing-floor, in the dough, in the loaves. Hee called for ears of corn dried by the fire, and wheat beaten out of the green ears, Levit. 2.14. to teach men to ſerve him with the primroſe of their childe-hood. Three ſorts there were of firſt-fruits. Firſt, Of the ears of corn offered about the Paſſeover. Secondly, Of the loaves offered about Pentecoſt. Laſtly, About the end of the year in Autumn. Now of the two firſt God had a part, but not of the laſt. Hee made choice of the Almond-tree, Jer. 1.11. becauſe it bloſſometh firſt; ſo of Jeremy from his infancy, Timothy from his Mothers breaſts, &c. Hee likes not of thoſe arbores antumnales, Jude 13. which bud at latter end of harveſt. Hee cares not for ſuch loiterers, as come halting in at laſt caſt to ſerve God, when they can ſerve their luſts no longer. The Circaſſians (a kinde of mongre-Chriſtians) are ſaid to divide their life betwixt ſin and devotion: dedicating their youth to rapine,B…cerw. Enqui…. 1…5 Mal. 1.14 and their old age to repentance. But curſed bee that cozener, ſaith the Prophet, that hath a male in his flock, and yet offereth to the Lord a corrupt thing. Wilt thou give God the dreggs, the bottom, the ſnuffs, the very laſt ſands, thy dotage, which thy ſelf and friends are weary of?James 4 Shall thine oyl (which ſhould have been fuel for thy thankfulneſs) increaſe the fire of thy luſts, and thy luſts conſume all? How much better were it to ſacrifice early with Abraham, the young Iſaac's of thine age? to bring as hee did young Rams unto the Lord, and even, whiles thou art yet a lad, a ſtripling, to take heed to thy waies according to Gods Word? Pſal. 119.9. Yee ſhall not ſee my face, ſaith Chriſt, (as once Joſeph) except you bring your younger brother with you.
While the evil daies come not] viz. Of old age and miſery: for theſe are ſeldome ſeparated. Senectus, ut Africa, ſemper aliquid novi adportat, As Africa is never without ſome monſter, ſo neither is old age ever without ſome ailement. Multa ſenem circumveniunt incommoda, Horat.Many are the inconveniences that do encompaſs an old man. Solet ſenectus eſſe deformis, infirma, oblivioſa, odentula, lucroſa, indocilis & moleſta, ſaith Cato in Plutarch, Plut. in Apoph. Rom.old age uſeth to bee deformed, weak, forgetful, toothleſs, covetous, unteachable, unquiet. Now ſhall any man bee to beſotted and betwitcht, as to make that the task of his old age, which ſhould bee the trade of his whole life? and to ſettle his everlaſting, onelyonly, ſureſt making or marring upon ſo ſinking and ſandy a foundation? A Ship, the longer it leaks, the harder it is to bee emptied; a Land, the longer it lies, the harder it is to bee plowed; a Nail, the further it is driven in, with the greater difficulty it is pulled our. And ſhall any man think, that the trembling joints, the dazled eyes, the fainting heart, the failing hands, the feeble leggs, of ſtrengthleſs, drooping, untractable, wayward, froward old age, can break up the fallow ground, can ever empty and pluck out the leaks and nails of ſo many years flowing and faſtning?
Verſ. 2. While the Sun, or the light, or the Moon, &c.] i. e. Whiles greater and leſſer comforts fail not. Or before the ſight of thine eyes grow dim, and as unfit to let in light, as an old duſty window. The air to aged eyes, ſeemeth duſty and miſty, and the Sun wadeth, as the Moon in a foggy evening, and the ſtars are out of ſight;1 Cor. 13. they ſee thorow a glaſs darkly, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks in another caſe, they can know no kin without ſpectacles; the defluxion of rheum, which trickleth down the noſe and cheeks, being as it were the Rain, the gathering of new matter, which continually diſtilleth, being as it were the returning of the clouds after the rain in a moiſt ſeaſon, and waters into an emptied fountain. Some (with relation to the former verſe) interpret the words thus: Let thy Creator bee remembred while the Sun is not darkned, that is, while youth continueth: Or if not ſo, while the light of the Sun is not gone, that is, while thy manhood laſteth: Or if not ſo, while the Moon is not darkned, that is, while thine elder years are not ſpent: Or if not ſo, while the ſtars are not ſhut up, while the worſt of old age hath not ſeized upon thee: for then the clouds will return after the Rain; that is, one grief comes upon the neck of another,Pſal. 42.7. as deep calleth upon deep at the noiſe of the water-ſpouts. One affliction followeth and occaſioneth another, without intermiſſion of trouble, as one billow comes wallowing and tumbling upon another; or as in April weather, one ſhowre is unburthened, another is brewed. Hence ſome of the antient Patriarchs are ſaid to have died old men, and full of years, they had enough of this world, and deſired to depart, as Abraham, Simeon, others. Hence the Poets feign that Tithonus, when he might have had immortality here, hee would not.Cic. de Senectu…e. And Cato proteſted, that if of old hee might bee made young again, hee would ſeriouſly refuſe it.
Verſ. 3. In the day when the Keepers of the houſe, &c.] i.e. The hands and arms wherewith we defend the head and whole body (called an houſe alſo by St. Paul) from harm, and danger, and maintain our lives; which are therefore called the lives of our hands, becauſe upheld with the labour of our hands, Iſa. 57.10. Theſe are fitly called Keepers or Gardians, for their uſefulneſs, and for their faithfulneſs too:Plut. Numa Pompilius conſecrated the hands to Faith; His ſucceſſor Tullus Hoſtilius (being a prophane perfidious perſon,Lactant. and a contemner of all Religion, as that which did but emaſculate mens minds, and make them idle) brought in and worſhipped two new Gods, viz. Pavor and Pallor, Fear and Paleneſs. Like another Cain, Sighing and trembling hee was upon the Earth: (So the Septuagint render that, Gen. 4.12.) Not his hands onelyonly trembled (which is thought to bee Cains mark, Gen. 4.15.) but his heart too, Iſa. 7.2. Not with old age neither, as here, but with the terrours of an evil conſcience. But to return to the Text,Ecquem vero mihi dabis Rhetorem tam magnifice & exquiſite diſſerentem, & in non obſcura ſententiae tot lumina, imo flumina orationis exſcrentem? Old men are full of the Palſie, for moſt part, and many other infirmities, which here are moſt elegantly deſcribed, by a continued allegory. Men draw forth as lively as they can the pictures of their young age, that in old age they may ſee their youth before their eyes. This is but a vanity, yet may good uſe bee made thereof. So contrarily the Preacher here draws out to the life the picture of old age, that young men may ſee and conſider it together with death that follows it, and after death judgement.
And the ſtrong men ſhall bow themſelves] Nutabunt, the leggs and thighs ſhall ſtagger and faulter, cripple and crinkle under them, as not able to bear the bodies burden. The thigh in Latine is called femur a ferendo, becauſe it beareth and holdeth up the creature, and hath the longeſt and ſtrongeſt bone in the whole body, The legg hath a ſhin-bone, and a ſhank-bone, aptly fitted for the better moving. The foot is the baſe, the ground and pedeſtal which ſuſtaineth the whole building. Theſe are Solomons ſtrong men: but as ſtrong as they are, yet in old age they buckle under their burden; and are ready to overthrow themſelves and the whole body.Genua …abant. Virg. Hence old men are glad to betake them to their third legg, a ſtaff or crutch: Membra levant baculis tardique ſenilibus annis. Hence Heſiod calls them foreign. Let them learn to lean upon the Lord, as the Spouſe did upon her Beloved, Cant. 8.5. and hee will ſtir up ſome good Job to bee eyes to them, when blinde, and feet to them, when lame, chap. 29.15. Let them alſo pray with David, Caſt mee not off in the time of old age, forſake mee not when my ſtrength faileth, Pſal. 71.9.
And the grinders ceaſe, becauſe they are few] The teeth (through age) fall out, or rot out, or are drawn out, or hang looſe in the gumms, and ſo cannot grind and maſticate the meat that is to bee tranſmitted into the ſtomach, for the preſervation of the whole. Now the teeth are the hardeſt of the bones,Lactant. de opif. Dei. if that they bee bones, whereof Ariſtotle makes queſtion. They are as hard as ſtones, in the edges of them eſpecially: and are here fitly compared to Millſtones from their chewing office. The ſeat of the teeth are the jaws, where they have their ſeveral ſockets, into which they are mortiſed. But in old men they ſtand wet-ſhod in ſlimy humor, or are hollow and ſtumpy, falling out one after another, as the coggs of a Mill, ſo that Frangendus miſero gingiva panis inermi.Juvenal.
And thoſe that look out at the windows] The eyes are dim, as they were in old Iſaac and Jacob. An heavy affliction ſurely, but eſpecially to thoſe that have had eyes full of adultery, evil eyes, windows of wickedneſs, for the conſcience of this puts a ſting into the affliction, is a thorn to their blinde eyes,2 Pet. 2. and becomes a greater torment than ever Regulus the Roman was put to,Plut. Oculus ab occalendo. Turk. hiſt. when his eye-lids were cut off, and hee ſet full oppoſite to the Sun ſhining in his ſtrength: Or than that Grecian Prince, that had his eyes put out with hot burning baſons, held near unto them.
Verſ. 4. And the doors ſhall bee ſhut in the ſtreets] The ears ſhall grow deaf, the hearing weak; which hearing is cauſed by two bones within the inſide of the ear; whereof one ſtands ſtill, and the other moves, like the two ſtones of a Mill.
And hee ſhall riſe up at the voice of the Bird] Being awakened by every ſmall noiſe; and this proceeds not from the quickneſs of the hearing, but from the badneſs of ſleeping. For as Hierome ſpeaketh, Frigeſcente jam ſanguine, &c. Hieron. in hunc verſ.The blood now growing cold, and the moiſture being dried up, by which matters ſleep ſhould bee nouriſhed, the old man awakeneth with a little ſound, and at midnight when the Cock croweth, hee riſeth ſpeedily;foreign dicitur, quia nos a lecto exſuſcitat. being not able often to turn his members in his bed. Thus hee. Cocks crowing (ſaith another) unto old men, is the ſcholars bell, that calls them to think of the things that are in Gods Book every morning.
And all the daughters of muſick ſhall bee brought low] Old men, as they cannot ſing tunably,Nam quae cantante voluptas? Juvenal. but creak or ſcream (whence Homer compares them to Graſhoppers, propter raucam vocem, for their unpleaſant voice) ſo they can take no delight in the melodious notes of others, as old Barzillai confeſſeth, 2 Sam. 19.35. they diſcern not the harmony or diſtinction of ſounds, neither are affected with muſick. They muſt therefore labour to become Temples of the Holy Ghoſt, (in whoſe Temple there never wants muſick) and ſing Pſalms with grace in their hearts: for, Non vox, ſed votum; non muſica chordula, ſed Cor; Non clamans, ſed amans, pſ…llit in aure Dei.
Verſ. 5. Alſo when they ſhall bee afraid of that which is high] Hillocks or little ſtones ſtanding up, whereat they may ſtumble; as being unſteddy and unweildy. High aſcents alſo they ſhun, as being ſhort-winded; neither can they look down without danger of falling: their heads being as weak as their hamms. Let them therefore pray for a guard of Angels, putting that promiſe into ſuit, Pſal. 91. Let them alſo keep within Gods precincts, as ever they expect his protection; and then, though old Eli fell, and never roſe again, yet when they fall, they ſhall ariſe, for the Lord puts under his hand, Pſal. 37.24. Contrition may bee in their way, but attrition ſhall not. Let them fear God, and they need not fear any other perſon or thing whatſoever.
And the Almond-tree ſhall flouriſh] The hair ſhall grow hoary, thoſe Churchyard-flowers ſhall put forth.Plin. lib. 16. cap. 25. The Almond-tree bloſſomes in January, while it is yet winter; and the fruit is ripe in March. Old age ſhall ſnow white hairs upon their heads. Let them ſee that they bee found in the way of Righteouſneſs.
And the Graſhopper ſhall bee a burden] Every light matter ſhall oppreſs them, who are already a burden to themſelves, being full of Gowt, and other ſwellings of the leggs, which the Septuagint and Vulgar point at here, when they render it impinguabitur locusta, The Locuſts ſhall bee made fat. Let them wait upon the Lord (as that old Diſciple Mnaſon did) and then they ſhall renew their ſtrength,Act. 11. mount up as Eagles, run, and not bee weary, walk, and not faint, even then, when the youth ſhall faint and bee weary, and the young men utterly fall, Iſa. 40.30, 31.
And deſire ſhall fail] The luſt of the fleſh, the luſt of the eye, and the pride of life.1 John 2.15 And this Tully reckons among the commodities and benefits of old age, quod hominem a libidinis eſtu, velut a tyranno quodem liberet, that it frees a man from the fire of luſt.foreign a foreign. It ſhould bee ſo, doubtleſs; an old Letcher being little leſs than a Monſter: What ſo monſtrous as to behold green Apples on a tree in winter? and what ſo indecent, as to ſee the ſins of youth prevailing in times of age among old decrepit Goats? that they ſhould bee capering after capparis, foreign.the fruit of Capers, as the Septuagint and Vulgar render it here.
Becauſe man goeth to his long home] Heb. to his old home, ſcil. to the duſt from whence hee was taken. Or to the houſe of his eternity, that is, the grave (that houſe of all living) where hee ſhall lye long, till the Reſurrection. Tremellius renders it, in domum ſaeculi ſui, to the houſe of his generation, where hee and all his contemporaries meet. Cajetan, in domum mundi ſui, into the houſe of his world, that which the world provides for him: as nature at firſt provided for him the houſe of the womb. Toward this home of his, the old man is now on gate, having one foot in the grave already: Hee ſits and ſings with Job, My ſpirit is ſpent, my daies are extinct, the graves are ready for mee, Job 17.1.
And the mourners go about the ſtreets] The proverb is, Senex …os non lugetur, An old man dies unlamented. But not ſo the good old man. Great moan was made for old Jacob, Moſes, Aaron, Samuel. The Romans took the death of old Auguſtus ſo heavily, that they wiſhed hee had either never been born, or never died. Thoſe indeed that live wickedly, dye wiſhedly. But godly men are worthily lamented, and ought to bee ſo, Iſa. 57.1. This is one of the dues of the dead, ſo it bee done aright. But they were hard beſtead that were fain to hire mourners; that as Midwives brought their friends into the world, ſo thoſe widows ſhould carry them out of it. See Job 3.8. Jer. 9.17.
Verſ. 6. Or ever the ſilver cord bee looſed] Or lengthened, i. e. before the marrow of the back (which is of a ſilver colour) bee conſumed. From this Cord many ſinews are derived: which when they are looſened, the back bendeth, motion is ſlow, and feeling faileth.
Or the golden bowl be broken] i. e. The heart ſay ſome, or the Pericardium: the Brain-pan, ſay others, or the Piamater compaſſing the brain like a ſwathing-cloath, or inner rind of a tree.
Or the pitcher bee broken at the fountain] That is, the veins at the Liver (which is the ſhop of ſangnification, or blood-making, as one calls it) but eſpecially Vena porta and Vena cava. Read the Anatomiſts.
Or the wheel bee broken at the ciſtern] i. e. The head, which draws the power of life from the heart, to the which the blood runs back in any great fright, as to the fountain of life.
Verſ. 7. Then ſhall the duſt return to the earth, &c.] What is man, ſaith Nazianzen, but foreign, Soul and Soil, Breath and Body, a puff of wind the one, a pile of duſt the other, no ſolidity in either. Zoroaſter, and ſome other antient Heathens imagined, that the ſoul had wings; that having broken theſe wings, ſhee fell headlong into the body; and that recovering her wings again, ſhee flies up to Heaven, her original habitation. That of Epicharmus is better to bee liked, and comes nearer to the truth here delivered by the Preacher, Concretum fuit, & diſcretum eſt, rediitque unde venerat; terra deorſum, ſpiritus ſurſum, It was together, but is now by death ſet aſunder, and returned to the place whence it came; the Earth downward, the Spirit upward. See Gen. 2.7. God made man of the duſt of the earth, to note our frailty, vility, and impurity. Lutum enim conſpurcat omnia, ſic & caro, ſaith one, Dirt defiles all things, ſo doth the fleſh: It ſhould ſeem ſo (truly) by mans ſoul, which coming pure out of Gods hands, ſoon becomes Mens oblita Dei, vitiorumque oblita coeno.
Bernard complains not without juſt cauſe, that our ſouls by commerce with the fleſh are become fleſhly: Sure it is, that by their mutual defilement, corruption is ſo far rooted in us now, that it is not cleanſed out of us by meer death (as is to bee ſeen in Lazarus, and others that died) but by cinerification, or turning of the body to duſt and aſhes.
The ſpirit returns to God that gave it] For it is divinae particula aurae, an immaterial, immortal ſubſtance, that after death returns to God the Fountain of life.D. Preſt. The ſoul moves and guides the body (ſaith a worthy Divine) as the Pilot doth the ſhip. Now the Pilot may bee ſafe, though the ſhip bee ſplit on the rock. And as in a chicken, it grows ſtill, and ſo the ſhell breaks and falls off: So it is with the ſoul; the body hangs on it but as a ſhell, and when the ſoul is grown to perfection, it falls away, and the ſoul returns to the Father of ſpirits. Auguſtine (after Origen) held a long while, that the ſoul was begotten by the Parents, as was the body. At length hee began to doubt of this point, and afterward altered his opinion; confeſſing inter caetera teſtimonia hoc eſſe praecipuum, that among other teſtimonies this to bee the chief, to prove the contrary to that which hee had formerly held.
Verſ. 8. Vanity of vanities, ſaith the Preacher] Who choſe for his Text this Argument, of the vanity of humane things, which having fully proved, and improved, hee here reſumes and concludes. Vide ſupra.
Verſ. 9. And moreover becauſe the Preacher was wiſe] Hee well knew how hard it was to work men to a beleef of what hee had affirmed concerning earthly vanities; and therefore heaps up here many forcible and cogent Arguments, as Firſt, that himſelf was no baby, but wiſe above all men in the world, by Gods own teſtimony; therefore his words ſhould bee well regarded. foreign, Our wiſe men expound to day (ſaid the Jews one to another) Come let us go up to the houſe of the Lord, &c. Cicero had that high opinion of Plato for his wiſdome, that hee profeſſed that hee would rather go wrong with him, than go right with others. Averroes over-admired Ariſtotle, as if hee had been infallible. But this is a praiſe proper to the holy Pen-men guided by the Spirit of Truth, and filled with wiſdome from on high for the purpoſe. To them therefore, and to the word of prophecy by them, muſt men give heed as unto a light that ſhineth in a dark place, &c. 2 Pet. 1.19.
Hee ſtill taught the people knowledge] Hee hid not his talent in a Napkin, but uſed it to the inſtruction of his people. Have not I written for thee excellent things (or three ſeveral ſorts of Books, viz. Proverbial, Penitential, Nuptial) in counſels and knowledge, Prov. 22.20. Syneſius ſpeaks of ſome,foreign. Syneſ. that having great worth in them, will as ſoon part with their hearts, as with their conceptions. And Gregory obſerveth, that there are not a few, who being enriched with ſpiritual gifts and abilities to do good, dum ſolis contemplationis ſtudiis inardeſcunt, Past. Cur. p. 1. c. 5.parere utilitati proximorum praedicatione refugiu… while they burn in the ſtudies of contemplation onelyonly, do ſhun to ſeek by preaching to profit their neighbours. Solomon was none of theſe.
Yea hee gave good heed] Or, hee made them to take good heed; Auſ…ultare fecit. Pag. Ar. Mon. tan.hee called upon them ever and anon, as our Saviour did upon his hearers, Let him that hath an ear to hear, hear. Or as the Deacons in Chryſoſtoms and Baſils time uſed to call upon the people, in theſe words, Oremus, attendamus, Let us pray, let us give heed.
And ſought out] By diligent ſcrutiny and hard ſtudy: beating his brains, as the foul bears the ſhell, to get out the fiſh, with great vehemency. The ſtaves were alway in the Ark, to ſhew, ſaith Gregory, that Preachers ſhould alwaies meditate in their hearts upon the ſacred Scriptures; that if need require they may without delay take up the Ark, teach the people.
And ſet in order many Proverbs] Marſhalled them in a fit method, and ſet others a work for to do the like.Dan. 68. For, Regis ad exemplum, &c. Our Henry the firſt (ſirnamed Beauclerk) had in his youth ſome taſte of learning; And this put many of his ſubjects into the faſhion of the Book, ſo that divers learned men flouriſhed in his time: as Ethan, Heman, Cha…col, Agur, and other Paroemiographers did in Solomons.
Luther.Verſ. 10. The Preacher ſought, &c.] Hee ſought and ſought, by pains and prayer. Hee knew the rule, Bene oraſſe, eſt bene ſtuduiſſe, To have prayed well, is to have ſtudied well. By prayer and tears St. John gat the Book opened, Rev. 5.4. Luther got much of his inſight into Gods matters, by the ſame means.
To finde out acceptable words] Verba deſiderata (ſo Cajetan renders it) Verba delectabilia (ſo Tremellius) Verba expetibilia (ſo Vatablus) Delectable and deſireable words, dainty expreſſions, that might both pleaſe and profit, tickle the ear,Into…abat, fulgurabat. Cicero. Plutarch. and withall take the heart. Such a Maſter of ſpeech was Paul, Act. 14.12. who thundred and lightened in his diſcourſes, like another Pericles. Such a one was Apollos that eloquent Preacher, mighty in the Scriptures (foreign, like another Phocion, a weighty Speaker) ſuch were many of the Greek and Latine Fathers; Ambroſe for one, whom when Auguſtine heard preach, Veniebant, ſaith hee, in animum meum ſimul cum verbis quae deligebam, etiam res quas negligebam, there came into my mind, together with the words which I chiefly looked after, the matter which till then I made no reckoning of. Et res & verba. Philippus Melanchthon could dreſs his doctrine in dainty tearms, and ſo ſlide inſenſibly into the hearts of his hearers. Egit vir eloquens ut intelligenter ut obedienter audiretur, De doct. Chriſt. l. 4. c. 14.(as Auguſtine hath it.) This eloquent man took pains that hee might bee heard with underſtanding, with obedience. The like might bee ſaid of Calvin (famous for the purity of his ſtyle, and the holineſs of his matter.Zanch. Miſcell. Ep. dedic.) Viret, in whoſe Sermons ſingularem eloquentiam & in commovendis affectibus efficacitatem admirabar, ſaith Zanchy. I greatly admired at his ſingular eloquence and skill to work upon the affections by his elaborate diſcourſes.
And that which was written was upright] A corde ad cor, void of all inſincerity and falſhood, Prov. 8.8. Seducers come for the moſt part with pithanology; by good words and fair ſpeeches they deceive the hearts of the ſimple. Rom. 16.18. But our Preachers words are of another alloy; not more delicious and toothſome, than ſound and wholeſome, 2 Tim. 3.16. proceeding from a right heart, and tending to make men upright, transforming them into the ſame image, and transfuſing them into the Divine nature.
Verſ. 11. The words of the wiſe are like goads] To rouſe up mens drouſie and droſſie ſpirits; to drive them (as the Eagle doth her young ones with her talons) out of the neſt of carnal ſecurity: to awaken them out of the ſnare of the Devil, who hath caſt many into ſuch a dead lethargy, ſuch a dedolent diſpoſition, that like Dionyſius the Heracleot, they can hardly feel ſharpeſt goads, or needles thruſt into their fat hearts; fat as greaſe, Pſal. 119.17. St. Peter ſo preached, that his hearers were prickt at heart, Act. 2.37. St. Stephen ſo galled his adverſaries, that they were cut to the heart, Act. 7.54. And before them both, how …rely and boldly dealt John Baptiſt, and our Saviour Chriſt with thoſe enemies of all Righteouſneſs the Phariſees, qui toties puncti ac repuncti, nunquam tamen ad reſipiſcentiam compuncti, as one ſaith of them: (who like thoſe Bears in Pliny, or Aſſes of Tuſcany, that have fed on hemlock) were ſo ſtupified, that no ſharp words would work upon them, or take impreſſion in their hearts; ſo brawny were their breaſts; ſo horny their heart-ſtrings?
And as nails] Such as Shepheards faſtened their tents to the ground with; Jael drove one of theſe tent-nails thorow Siſera's Temples;Judg. 4. and laid his body as it were a liſtening what was become of the ſoul. Now as nails driven into pales do faſten them to their rails, ſo the godly and grave ſentences of Teachers (thoſe Maſters of Aſſemblies) do peirce into mens hearts, to unite them unto God by Faith, and one to another in love. Our exhortations truly ſhould bee ſtrong and well pointed; not onelyonly to wound as arrows, but to ſtick by the people as forked arrows, that they may prove as thoſe of Joaſh, the arrows of the Lords deliverance. And ſurely it were to be wiſhed (in theſe unſetled and giddy times eſpecially) that people would ſuffer ſuch words of exhortation, as like goads, might prick them on to pious practice, and like nails, might fix their wilde conceits, that they might bee ſtedfaſt and unmoveable, ſtabliſhed in the truth, and not whiffled about with every wind of Doctrine. But wee can look for no better, ſo long as they have ſo mean an eſteem of the Miniſters, thoſe Maſters of the Aſſemblies, (whoſe Office it is to congregate the people, and to preſide in the Congregations) which are given from one Shepheard, 1 Pet. 2.25.the Arch-Shepheard of his Sheep, Jeſus Chriſt; who in the daies of his ſolemn inauguration into his Kingdome, gave theſe gifts unto men, viz. ſome to bee Apoſtles, ſome Evangeliſts, ſome Paſtors, ſome Teachers, &c. Epheſ. 4.11. What a mouth of blaſphemy then opens that Schiſmatical Pamphleter,The Compaſ. Samarit. that makes this precious gift of Chriſt to his Spouſe, this ſacred and tremend function of the Miniſtery, to bee as meer an Impoſture, as very a myſtery of iniquity, as arrant a juggle as the Papacy it ſelf?
Verſ. 12. And further, by theſe; my ſon, bee admoniſhed] By theſe divine directions and documents, contained in this ſhort Book, wherein thou ſhalt finde fulneſs of matter in fewneſs of words. Or by theſe, that is by the holy Scriptures, which (according to ſome interpreters) are called in the former verſe, Lords of Collections, becauſe they are as Lords paramount above all other words and writings of men, that ever were collected into volumes. Odi ego meos libros, ſaith Luther, Luth. in Geneſ.I do even hate the Books ſet forth by my ſelf, and could wiſh them utterly aboliſhed, becauſe I fear that by reading them, ſome are hindred from ſpending their time in reading the ſacred Scriptures. Of theſe it is that the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Moreover by them is thy ſervant warned (or clearly admoniſhed, as the word ſignifies) and in doing thereof there is great reward, Pſal. 19.11.
Of making many Books there is no end] Ambition and covetouſneſs ſets many Authors a work, in this ſcribling age, Scribimus indocti doctique, &c. Preſſes are greatly oppreſſed; and every fool will bee medling, that hee may bee a fool in Print. Multi mei ſimiles hoc morbo laborant, ut cum ſcribere neſciant, tamen a ſcribendo temperare non poſſunt, Many are ſick of my very diſeaſe, ſaith Eraſmus, that though they can do nothing worthy of the publick, yet they muſt bee publiſhing: hence the world ſo abounds with books, even to ſatiety and ſurfeit, many of them being no better than the ſcurf of ſcald and ſcabby heads.
And much ſtudy is a wearineſs to the fleſh] Hierome renders it, Labor carnis, a work of the fleſh. They will finde it ſo one day to their ſorrow, that are better read in Sir Philip, than in St. Peter, in Monſieur Balſa…s letters, than St. Pauls Epiſtles. The holy Bible is to bee chiefly ſtudied, and herein wee are to labour even to laſſitude; to read, till being overcome with ſleep, wee bow down as it were, to ſalute the leaves with a kiſs,Hierom▪ ad Euſt. as Hierome exhorted ſome good women of his time. All other Books, in compariſon of this, wee are to account as waſte Paper; and not to read them further than they ſome way conduce to the better underſtanding or practiſing of the things herein contained, and commended unto our care.
Verſ. 13. Let us hear the concluſion of the whole matter] ſcil. Touching the attainment of true happineſs: Let us ſee (for a percloſe of all) where and how it may bee had. Shall I tell you in two words, ſaith the Preacher? I will ſo, and ſee that yee mark it: In the Original the word rendred concluſion here, hath the firſt letter bigger than the reſt, to ſtir up the greater attention to that which follows: ſith in this ſhort ſentence is contained the ſum of all Divinity.
Fear God and keep his commandements] Bear an awful reſpect to the Divine Majeſty, a reverential fear; and from this principle obey God in every part and point of duty: Do this, and live for ever. Do it in an Evangelical way, I mean: for wee can do it now no otherwiſe. Wiſh well to exact obedience, as David doth, Pſal. 119.4, 5. Oh that I could keep thy commandements accurately; and woe is mee that I cannot! And then bee doing as thou canſt: for affection without indeavour, is like Rachel, beautiful, but barren. Bee doing, I ſay, at every thing, as well as at any thing: for thou muſt not bee funambulus vertutum (as Tertullian phraſeth it) one that goeth in a narrow tract of obedience. No: thine obedience muſt bee univerſal, extending to the compaſs of the whole Law, (which is but one copulative, as the Schools ſpeak.) And then,Aug. beati ſunt qui praecepta faciunt, etiam ſi non perficiunt, they are bleſſed that do what they can,Bern. though they cannot but under-do. And, in libro tuo ſcribuntur omnes qui quod poſſunt faciunt, & ſi quod debent, non poſſunt, They are ſurely written all in Gods Book, that do what they can, though they cannot do as they ought. I cannot let ſlip a Note given by one that was once a famous Preacher in this Kingdome, and ſtill lives in his printed Sermons. The Book of Eccleſiaſtes (ſaith hee) begins with All is vanity, and ends with fear God and keep his commandements. Now if that ſentence were knit to this, which Solomon keepeth to the end, as the haven of reſt after the turmoils of vanity, it is like that which Chriſt ſaid to Martha, Thou art troubled about many things, but one thing is neceſſary. That which troubleth us, Solomon calls vanity: that which is neceſſary, hee calls the fear of God. From that to this, ſhould bee every mans pilgrimage in this world. Wee begin at vanity, and never know perfectly that wee are vain, till wee come to fear God, and keep his commandements.
For this is the whole duty of man] Heb. This is the whole man, q. d. Hee is not a compleat man; hee loſeth all his other praiſes, that fears not God. It is the very nature and eſſence of man to bee a reaſonable creature: Now, what more reaſonable than that God ſhould bee feared and ſerved? What more irrational than irreligion? (See 2 Theſ. 3.2.) and what is man without true grace, but praeſtantiſſimum brutum (as one ſaith) a very fair beaſt?
Verſ. 14. For God ſhall bring every work into judgement] Full loth is ſinful fleſh to come to judgement: but (will they, nill they) come they muſt, God will bring them: Angels will hale them out of their hiding holes. Rocks and mountains will then prove a ſorry ſhelter; ſith rocks ſhall rent, and mountains melt at the preſence of the Judge. Let us therefore judge our ſelves, if hee ſhall not judge us, and take unto us words againſt our ſins, if wee will not have him to take unto him words againſt our ſouls, Hoſ. 14.2. And then, Ita vivamus, ut rationem nobis reddendam arbitremur, ſaith the Heathen Oratour, Let us ſo live, as thoſe that muſt ſhortly bee called to an account. For who can tell but that hee may ſuddenly hear as that Pope did, and was ſoon after found dead, Veni, miſer, in judicium, Come, thou wretch, receive thy judgement. Let this bee firmly beleeved, and thorowly digeſted, and it will notably incite us to the fear and ſervice of God. This ſome Heathens knew; Zaleucus Locrenſis, in the Proeme to his Laws hath theſe words, Hoc inculcatum ſit, eſſe Deos, & venturum eſſe ſummum & fatalem illum diem: Remember to preſs often upon the people theſe two things; Firſt, That there are Gods, Next, to theſe Gods an account of all muſt bee given. The Areopagites at their Council were wont diligently to enquire what every of the Athenians did,Rouz his Archaeol. Atti. 125 and how hee lived: that men knowing and remembring that once they muſt give an account of their lives (though but to earthly Judges) might imbrace honeſty.
With every ſecret thing] For at that day of Revelation, as it is called, Wee muſt all appear (or bee made tranſparent, pellucid and clear like a diaphanous body, as the word there ſignifies) before the judgement-ſeat of Chriſt: 2 Cor. 5.20all ſhall bee laid naked and open, the Books of Gods Omniſcience, and mans Conſcience alſo ſhall bee then opened, and ſecret ſins ſhall bee as legible in thy fore-head, as if written with the brighteſt Stars, or the moſt glittering Sun-beams upon a wall of Cryſtal. Mens actions are all in print in Heaven, and God will at that day read them aloud in the ears of all the world.
Whether it bee good or evil] Then it ſhall appear what it is, which before was not ſo clear: like as in April, both wholeſome roots and poiſonable diſcover themſelves, which in winter were not ſeen. Then men ſhall give an account, 1 De bonis commiſſis, of good things committed unto them. 2. De bonis dimiſſis, of good things neglected by them. 3. De malis commiſſis, of evils committed by them. 4. Laſtly, De malis permiſſis, of evils done by others, ſuffered by them, when they might have hindered it.
LAUS DEO.