Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 4 · Proverbs · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
MY Sonne, attend to my wisdome, and bow thine eares to my understanding; Vers. 1.Here Salomon begins another Oration, or Sermon, especially tending to make incontinency and fleshly lusts odious unto us; and in saying, Attend, and then, bow thine eares, he meaneth, Attend both with the bodily eare and the minde, as instructions most desireable to all those that would be wise. That thy lips may keep knowledge; That thou mayest be ready when temptation cometh to any incontinent action, to say with Joseph, Shall I doe this evill and sinne against God? thus Muffet; and it is meant also, that thou mayest have Muffet.nothing in thy mouth, but tending to continency and against whoredome, for this wickednesse beginneth first in the words of thy mouth, but he that keepeth knowledge in his lips, keeps himselfe by refraining from obscene speeches, and uttering words of distaste of this abomination, from the very first degree or beginning Lavater.hereof; so Lavater; And from hence we learne, that it is necessary, as to get knowledge, so to be ready when need requireth, to utter that which may be a fence Note. to our selves and others against sinne, and to turne here-from, especially from the way that the whorish woman would bring us into.
Some, by thy lips keeping knowledge understand silence, whereby as in the Schoole of Pythagoras knowledge is kept in, till that by serious meditation and study more is attained, as these words joyned to the former, that thou mayest regard discretion, imply, being in the vulgar Latine rendred, That thou mayest keepe cogitations; and Hebr. To keepe cogitations; That is, by serious meditating upon my instructions, imprinting them in thy minde, which being done, thy lips, that is, thy speeches shall also be conformable to the same. And in saying before, that by keeping knowledge in our lips, uttering it is meant, there is no contradiction, for it is not meant of uttering, till by serious meditation attained. But keeping knowledge in our lips, indeed implyeth keeping, and shewing it only, and not vanity and folly by loose and corrupt talking.
For the lips of a strange woman drop as the Honey-combe, and her mouth is Vers. 3.smoother then oyle. Having made his exordium in the former words, now he cometh to the Argument of this Chapter, which is to give warning against the allurements of Harlots; and in doing this, first he sheweth, how alluring they are by the shew of all pleasure and joy that they shall have, who consent unto them; Secondly, that within a while all this sweetnesse shall be turned into bitternesse. The sweetnesse of Honey, and the vertue of Oyle, the one to the taste, the other to the limbes and sinewes by suppleing them, doe much affect and draw mens mindes to them, if we consider what use they made of Oyle anciently for the purpose aforesaid; now both these, or something like both these, is in the mouth of the Harlot, her words seeme to be so sweet, and such good in the imbracing of her, that if a man be not wise, to discerne whether the present pleasure offered tendeth, he shall not be able to withstand her temptations.
But wisdome telleth him, that Her end is bitter like worm-wood, sharpe as Vers. 4.it two-edged sword. Thus the seeming sweetnesse that is in following fleshly-lusts, and satisfying them, is in a short time turned into the greatest bitternesse, and the sanative vertue, as of Oyle to the limbes, into a sharp sword, cutting, wounding, and killing without remedy, the silly deceived lecherous young man. But to return to each Word in particular, most significant is this saying; Her lips drop as the Honey-combe, for hereby are denoted two things;
1 That the pleasure of an Harlot is to be looked upon but as an Hony-combe taken out of the Hive, and dropping, which dropping indeed is sweet to him that licks it in for the present, but the Hony in a short time is dropped all out, and then what remaineth but a little harsh unsavoury Wax, that hath no sweet taste any more?
2 That the pleasure of an Harlot is yet more momentary, viz. no longer lasting then the sweetnesse of Hony in the palate of the mouth, whilst it is going downe.
Againe, in comparing her mouth to Oyle, if it be considered, that a young man, or any carnall man by reason of the lust in him is as fire, he implyeth the great danger that is in consorting with her, even as when Oyle and Fire come together. Some by her lips and mouth here, understand her sweet singing, where-with her lovers are taken, because it is prophesied of Tyre, that she should sing as an Harlot; which implyeth this to have been the custome of Harlots, by singing to inchant their Paramours; but if she singeth not, but frameth her speeches such a way as may be apt to allure, it is all one. Some expound it of her kisses, it may best be understood of all, both her singing, speaking, and kissing.
The Fathers most generally expound this Allegorically of humane wisdome, The Allegory.which hath her inticing words, according to the Apostle, who saith, Not with the inticing words of mans eloquence; and this wisdome indeed may well be set forth by an Harlots bewitching the simple by her pleasing speeches, against beleeving the Gospel, to the destruction of their soules; For the end of this sinfull pleasure being bitter like Worm-wood, it is commonly observed, that sweet things being eaten are turned into bitternesse; and therefore in alluding to this, it may be taken as thus spoken: but by bitter like Worm-wood here, as in other places, that which is deadly poysonous is meant, and so the sweet speeches, singing, and kisses of the Harlot are soone turned into deadly poyson. But the Phisitians, as one noteth, have found out, that vinegar is a meanes to qualifie the bitternesse of Worm-wood, and to make it sweet; so bitter sorrow for this sweet sinne takes away the bitternesse thereof againe, that a man is not now any more indangered hereby, as by poyson. And to a two-edged sharp sword is an Harlot compared, because by her, both the body is wounded as it were; and consumed to death, and the soule also.
Her feet goe downe to death, her steps take hold on hell; That is, by going Vers. 5.in the way that lust brings thee into, nothing else can be expected, but death and damnation for ever; So Gal. 5. 19. having shewed, that Fornication and Adultery are fruits of the flesh, he saith, They that doe such things shall never enter into the kingdome of heaven; And Col. 3. 5. For which things sake the wrath of God comes upon the Children of disobedience. For the more full understanding of this, looke back to chap. 2. 18, 19. where the like sayings to this and that, ver. 6. have been already opened.
Lest thou shouldst ponder the path of life; or that thou mayest not thinke of Vers. 6.going in the path of life, which by following Harlots is so obscured to the eye of thy minde, that thou canst never see to turne into it, and so thou canst not be saved but perish everlastingly, as ch. 2. 19. it is said, None that goe to her returne againe, neither take hold of the paths of life; as one that goeth downe into a darke pit, cannot see the way to come out againe, but as the Aegyptians, plagued with three dayes darkenesse, did none of them, nor could remove out of their places; Note. so cannot he that goeth into an Whore-house, there is no thinking for him that he will not be so intangled, but that he will come away againe, when he listeth, as many such wicked ones doe; and the Philosopher going unto a Whore sometime; said, I will possesse her, she shall not possesse me; but this wickednesse will possesse thee, and hold thee to the destruction both of thy soule and body, when thou thinkest in the end to returne to life, it being said to thee, and to all Mat. 7. 23.such as thou art, Depart ye workers of iniquity, I know you not.
Remove thy way farre from her, and come not nigh the doore of her house. Vers. 8.Even as a man that would avoyd the infection of the Plague, he must this, more dangerous, and to this end keep sarre off, and not come nigh her doore, for he that will not evil doe, must doe nought that belongs thereto. So Muffet, who Muffet.noteth in this and the former verse two meanes of being kept from the danger of this sinne, 1. Vers. 7. To be a diligent hearkener to the Word of God. 2. Here, not to come neare an whores house. Then he addeth the reason, ver. 9.
Least thou give thy honour to others, and thy yeares to the cruell.
1. By going to whores thy comlinesse and credit are lost, wherein thy honour lyeth, and now thou art counted base, and vile, and looked upon with loathing.
2. If thou committest Adultery with another mans wife, thou art in danger of being cut off by her Husbands rage through jealousie; if it be to one, a Sister, by Gen. 34.her Brothers, as Shechem by the brethren of Dinah.
3. Vers. 10. Least strangers be filled with thy labours, and thy riches be in another mans house; For he that goeth to whores, spends like the Prodigall his patrimony upon them, yea, and if he hath by his labour gotten somewhat, it goeth thus away for a little vaine and sinfull pleasure.
4. Least thou mourne at the last, and say, &c. ver. 11. This sinne will bring thee to misery in the greatest measure, for which thou shalt mourne, but have no remedy, when thy flesh and body are consumed. Here he sheweth one cause that the Adulterer shall have to mourne, viz. for the wasting of his body and strength, by diseases coming through his incontinency; and ver. 14. he sheweth another; I was almost in the midst of the congregation in all evill; That is, saith Arboreus, Arbor.This makes me sorrow the more, because I was carried away almost to all manner of wickednesse in the midst of the Church; That is, of Doctors and Teachers, by whom I had admonitions to fly wickednesse, given me from time to time, so that I cannot for the extenuating of my sinnes say, that I was ignorant, or knew not, how great and dangerous an evil this was. And this the Whoremonger is brought in speaking, his flesh and body being consumed, and he now in a weak estate, and ready to dye, as was said before, ver. 11. and he now upon this crying Note. out against himselfe, that he was so desperately ungracious, as not to hearken to the instructions of his teachers; which should be a warning to all wicked persons more to regard holy instructions, to be kept hereby from misery coming by sinne, by being turned there from before it be too late. And hereby is intimated, that this doth not a little aggravate the sins of Christians, that they live under meanes Note. of holy and zealous teaching, as the wickednesse of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum are aggravated, Matth. 11. and chap. 12. and of the Jewes in generall, Joh. 3. 16. Joh. 15. 22.
Touching the two words here used, Congregation, and Assembly, or Church, Arboreus saith, That one did set forth the Synedrion, or Congregation of the seventy, the other the assembly of all the faithfull, to pray, and heare the Word in the publick places consecrated for this purpose. But to say something more of all things in particular, from ver. 8. Remove thy way farre off from her; That is, fly from her, as Joseph did from his Mistris. This, as Augustine saith, speaking upon that, 1 Cor. 6. 18. Fly fornication, is a kinde of suffering Martyrdome; For although these, saith he, be times of peace, yet they are times of suffering martyrdome, Aug. de temp. ser. 240.for he that flyeth fornication, is a Martyr, his members upon earth are thus mortified, and by the Spirit he mortifieth the flesh, and shall live, and be Col. 3. 5. Rom 8. 13.crowned with glory. He that thus slyeth, fighteth no lesse valiantly, then he that sighteth in the face of the enemy, and therefore it is no shame, but a praise; for the honour by adultery given to another, this is by the disgrace which a man thus doth to himselfe; according to which Cyprian saith, An Harlot bringeth a man to manifold destructions, by infinite disgraces, and they are called infinite, because the disgrace Cyprian, Per infinita dede cora multiplices mortes invehit. Chrysost.thus coming, is never amongst men worne away againe to his dying day; for the next words, thy yeares to the cruell: Some hereby understand the woman that is an harlot, of whom Chrysost. saith, That she is of all beasts the most cruell in inveighing against Herodias for asking John Baptists head; for the next words, v. 10. Strangers being filled with thy wealth, the Vulg. with thy strength, is likewise Heb. wealth is meant, because that herein lyeth a mans strength, or might, as the word is also used, Hos. 7. Job 30. Esa. 3.
Chrysost. To expresse the consumption of a mans wealth upon harlots, calleth Chrysost.them the quicksands, and rocks of Patrimonies, which Fulgentius further prosecuting, saith, That the Poets feigne Scylla one of the great Rocks of the sea to have Fulgent.been an Harlot, that casting her selfe into the sea, was turned into a most dangerous Rocke, splitting and drowning the ships that are beaten upon her; so very great and rich ships of Patrimonies are dashed in peeces, and perish. For the words v. 11. And thou mourne at the last, the word foreign properly signifieth to roare, and in using it he alludeth to a Lion being ready to starve for hunger, and roating out therefore; so that the extream poverty, to which the Whoremonger is brought in the end, is hereby denoted, And thy flesh and body be consumed; For as Physitians note, the braine thus wasted, and the spina dorsi, the moisture in the nerves, the backe is weakned, the eyes made dim, the belly pained, the reines, the teeth, the loines, the heart, the liver, the breast, the bladder, and the feet, according to Galen, Hippocrates, Avicen, Cornel. Celsus, and divers others. Lastly, for the words v. 14. I was almost in all evill in the midst of the congregation. Some by evill understanding sinne, as hath been said before; by the congregation, will have the company of evill persons meant; some, as if he said, I was a publickly noted sinner. Others, by evill understanding the Devill, say, I was amongst the devills of hell, as it were, although I lived amongst men. Lastly, others by evill understanding misery, I was in all misery, whereinto my inordinate life brought me; and for the word almost, they understand it of a short time; as if he had said, I was soone brought to all manner of misery, which arrideth mee most, but for the evill here spoken of, wee may best understand sinne and misery; and from the exposition of the Congregation, I thinke it not good to recede from the first.
Drinke waters out of thine owne cesterne, and running waters out of thine Vers. 15.owne well. Here after a serious charge given against whoredome, a remedy is prescribed, by being fully satisfied with a mans owne wife, whom he hath singularly once chosen, and vowed forsaking all others to cleave onelyonly to her. As he that hath a Well of his owne, which as he hath professed, seemed to him the best and most delectable of all others, cares not for going out to fetch water to drinke elsewhere, because his owne is best; so he that hath a wife should be so delighted in her love, as to be fully satisfied herewith at all times as long as she liveth, setting Ovid. de remed. amoris l. 2. Explenda est fitis ista tibi qua praeditus ordes, Cedimus …me medio jim licet amue bibas & fruereusque tuâ, nullo prohibente, puellâ. Cyprian.light by all other women in comparison of her; see somewhat like this. Eccl. 9. 9. and the Poet Ovid seemeth to have taken that which he writeth from hence. That thirst wherewith thou burnest, thou must fill here we yeeld, that thou mayest drinke out of the midst of the river, and enjoy thy owne wench alwayes without the controle of any man. In these words is a manifest allowance of Matrimony, as a remedy against whoredome, so 1 Cor. 7. 1. Heb. 13. 4. being restrained to some, but extended to all men that have not the gift of continency.
And Cyprian writing of chastiry, and ascribing to the unmarried the first degree thereof, yeeldeth that the second is of the married, when every man keeps him to his owne wife, and every woman to here owne husband. So that it is Antichristian to inhibit Clergy-men from marriage, and devilish, as may be gathered from 1 Tim. 4. 1. 3. For the setting forth of a wife by the similitude of waters, Lavater saith, that heathen writers doe the like, as Hesiod. saying, A man goeth not Lavater. Hesiod.over a river, but having first powred out his prayers to the gods: whereby Johan. Grammat. understandeth, that it is meant of a wife, with whom a man must not may not come together, but prayers being first offered up to God for the sanctifying of the marriage: Plutarch saith, that anciently at marriages they used water and fire, the one to signifie the fervent heat of the desire both of the man to the Plutarch. in Sympo.woman, and of the woman to the man, the other to signifie their coming together in marriage to be a means, as by water, of quenching this fire. There is the like in a man drawn after whores and in the whore, for there is also fervent heat of lust, but there is not the like effect of water, for hereby the fire is so far from being allayed as that it burneth the more, as water cast upon brimstone on fire, it burneth the more, according to which August. speaking of it saith, Their lust is brimstone, it burneth very much, and cannot be extinguished, Esa. 51. 1. it is said, Looke to the hole of the pit from whence ye were digged; where the word rendred August.pit is foreign, and foreign signifieth a woman, so that a woman, if we looke to the denomination of her name is not unaptly set forth by a Pit or Well of water; or as Chrysost. noteth, to a Cisterne into which no water cometh but from above, so Chrysost.Sarah spoken of by this name was not fruitfull, but by the singular blessing of God coming downe from heaven, and hereby any wife is made as a Cisterne of running waters, or a Well issuing out by children, as followeth Vers. 16.
Let thy fountaine be dispersed abroad, and rivers of water in the streets; Vers. 16.which is spoken of children brought forth and well educated, and so coming forth, afterwards being profitable members of the Commonwealth, of whom others have joy, as they that dwell in hot and dry places, of springs of water coming out. And that when it is thus, it is by Gods blessing as is shewed, v. 18. But it is to be noted, that here are two words used foreign rendred Cisterne, and foreign a Well, intimating that through the blessing of God, the wife, who is as a Cisterne without water, is made a Well full of water, and issuing out from generation, to generation into multitudes as God pleaseth, and we may see in Abrahams wife Sarah, whose childrens children increased so mightily both in Aegypt and afterwards: Whereas some by Cisterne here understand worldly goods, as if the charge given were to make use of a mans owne, and not either by oppression, or theft, or deceit, to take other mens, it is not to the purpose here, the argument in hand being nothing tending to this, but to commend continency, and to make a man out of love with sinfull lusts after harlots. Basilius. Arboreus.But whereas others by this Cisterne, or Well understand the Spirit of God speaking in his word, and by these waters good and true instructions drawne from thence, whereunto every faithfull soule hath a thirsting desire: I cannot, but approve of this August. in Epist Johan. Trac. 6 Ambr. l. 1. de sp. 5. c. 20. Hier. in Amos. 4.as a fit and profitable allegoricall interpretation: According to this then, drinke waters out of thine owne Cisterne, is, as if he had said, Drink not in pudly and venemous instructions out of the muddy ditches and ponds of hereticks that derive them from their owne addle braines, trust not every spirit to be lead hereby, but out of the cleare fountaine of the Scriptures, which God hath given thee, and his Spirit speaking therein for thy guide. Gregor. Thou that art a Preacher, having a Gregor.fountaine of waters, which from thee flow forth to others, drinke thereof thy selfe, teach thy selfe first, and then teach thy congregation, and then doe thy waters come forth rightly into the streets, and are dispersed as followeth, v. 16. If this allegory from waters to the Scriptures be followed, by the harlot likewise the hereticall Synagogue is to be understood, and all things spoken before touching her accordingly to be applied, as they may well be.
Let thy fountaines be dispersed abroad, &c. This is to be understood either of bestowing children in marriage, about which parents ought to be carefull, when Vers. 16.they observe their inclinations, and not let them goe as waters that run down an hill without a channell, but being kept within bounds, as waters running in channels made for them in the street, or of their placing them so, as that they may follow one, one honest Trade, and another, another; or of their childrens coming forth after them in publike places, they being nothing ashamed to be known to be their parents, as adulterers and harlots are, but glorying in them, as being rightly bred and brought up in a vertuous, and good course of life.
Let them be thine, and thine onelyonly, &c. Here some go on again, as before, expounding this of worldly goods, as if a man were hereby warned not to communicate Vers. 17.them to others, either Bauds or Whores; but others understand them of a mans wife, as if direction were given to keep a vigilant eye over her, that she may have no starting hole left whereby to goe aside to others, that so the children which shee bringeth forth, may freely be thine owne; some, of a mans so keeping him to his owne wife being vertuous, as that hee may not by consorting with an harlot bee necessitated to bring up and provide for children begotten of her, as well as for his owne, which may indeed bee the children of another man, as well as his, wee may take it both these last wayes, and so wee shall have the full meaning.
Let thy fountaine be blessed, and rejoyce with the wife of thy youth. Here Vers. 18.the imparative may be taken for the future, as amongst the Heb. it is the second future, thy fountaine, that is, thy wife then shall be blessed by being made fruitfull, as Psal. 127. where having spoken of the blessing upon one that feareth God, it is said further to shew wherein this blessing should lye, Thy wife shall be as a fruitfull vine, and thou shalt rejoyce in the wife of thy youth; that is, thou living in chaffe wedlocke with her, the joy and pleasure which thou hast in her shall continue even when she is old, and thou also, as if she and thou were both still young, such difference shall there be betwixt keeping thee to her onelyonly, and going after a harlot, the one being old, thou shalt loath, as by whom thy health and wealth being wasted, but still alwayes love the other, as by whom rather both have been preserved, as Gallen teacheth, That Venery moderately used with a mans owne wife, doth availe to the preservation of the health and strength of the body, to set forth which Pausanias, Galen.that the Spartans had a Picture of Venus marryed with this superscription, foreign deferring old age, as meaning that marriage doth not hasten, but Pausan. l. 3.deferre old age, so that man married be wise to moderate, and not to follow his lusts.
Let her be as the loving hinde, and pleasant roe, &c. As the Bucke is taken with the love of the Hinde so, as that leaving the rest of the herd of Deere, he followeth Vers. 9.her from place to place, so let thy wife be to thee: Thus Muffet and Lavater, either as the Hinde for her great love to her young, and the Roe for the love Muffet, Lavater.thereof to the damme; or as great men love the flesh of these beasts, and extraordinarily delight in keeping them: I preferre the first, understanding both by the Hinde and the Roe, the same female of the Bucke, because it is Heb. a feminine, and not the love betwixt the damme, and the young, can be thought a fit similitude to set forth the love that should be betwixt a man and his wife, but betwixt the male and the female. And amongst all other creatures, it is taken from the Bucke, and the Hinde his female, because the Bucke is observed to be most ardently set upon his love, and is most impatient of any corrivall. Some looking at the docibility of the Hinde, and how easily shee may be tamed being young, thinke this to be respected here, as implying also the tractability of a good wife, being easily brought to conforme her selfe to the manners of her husband, and this he must endeavour to doe betimes, whilst she is young, it being vaine to attempt it afterwards, as to make an Hinde tame, that is now past an hinnula, as the Roe is in that called: For her breasts delighting thee alwayes, hereby is meant the imbraces of her, Vulg. Let them inebriate thee; that is, fill thee so, as wine or strong drinke, wherein one delighteth so as not to desire any other, and this must be alwayes to the end of her life, and not onelyonly whilst she is young and beautifull. And therefore it stands a man in hand when he taketh a wife to thinke upon this, that he may not be lead by wealth, or blinde affection to beauty, but make the feare of the Lord his loadstone, which will not draw for a time but alwayes retain the same vertue to hold the thing touched herewith, and the iron together.
And why wilt thou (my Sonne) be ravisht with a strange woman? Here Vers. 20.Salomon laboureth yet further in disswading from intanglement with an harlot, from this consideration, That every mans wayes are before the eyes of the Lord, and Vers. 21.he pondereth all his paths, as Psal. 139. So that if any one shall slatter himselfe, thinking that it shall not be knowne, he will goe so secretly to worke, he shall be herein deceived, for nothing that he doth can be hidden from God; and when he seeth such abominations, he doth not presently passe them over, but pondereth them; That is, weigheth the foulnesse of the fact, as a Judge, before whom Cases come, and Malefactors, and so giveth sentence against all the wicked, the officers imployed to apprehend them being their owne sins, of which he saith, ver. 22. That they shall lay hold upon him as Serjeants, or Bayliffes, to Arrest Vers. 22.him, and carry him to prison, and as a Jaylor binding him there, as it were with cords and setters, and so keeping him fast till the day of Judgement; as it is said of the evill Angels, that they are kept in chaines of darknesse till then.Jud. Epist. vers. 6. Vers. 23.
And when that time cometh, He shall dye for want of instruction; That is, because he regarded it not, to be moved hereby to take heed of the abomination before-said, but against it hardned himselfe, to wander on in his great folly, and so in the way leading to destruction, being herein a very foole, as the event shal prove; although he thought himself wise, and cunning enough to take his pleasure, and yet to keep out of danger. For the eyes of God beholding wickednesse committed in secret, see Syracides, c. 23. and Seneca, and Bernard exhorting lascivious persons to thinke upon Cato, or Laetius, or some other grave Senatour beholding them, and if this would strike a feare into them, to thinke upon Gods presence will doe it much more. Hereby the Heathen used to disswade and terrifie from sinne, by saying, The gods behold and see thee, as Hesrod. And David found it to be so by experience, when he so secretly committed this soule sin of 1 Sam. 12.Adultery.
Tertuliian compareth an Adulterer going in the darke to his Whore to an Tertul. De veland. virgin.Ostridge. which hath a great body, but if his head be hidden in bushes he is secure, thinking because he seeth no body, that no body can see him; The like doth the Doterell in England, for his sins laying hold upon him, and binding him as cords, one saith well; That not only the guiltinesse of sinne is as cords to his conscience, which lookes upon the sinner as bound, like a prisoner, being ready to come in against him when God will, to charge him there-with; but the sins themselves are as cords, or fetters, binding the sinner that delighteth herein, and will not be warned, so fast, that he cannot get loose there-from any more, till that hereby he be yeelded up to death without remedy; wherefore Isaiah compareth s…nes to cords, and Cart-ropes, saying, Woe to them that draw on iniquity with Esa. 5. 18.Cart-ropes, &c. And againe, Lest your bands, That is, the bands of your sinnes be made strong by your continuing in sin against all admonitions. For the last words, He shall dye, &c. they follow most aptly after these Esa. 28. 2….promises, being taken, as if he had said; He thinketh haply to come out of these cords when he will, as having a long time yet to live, but this his imagination deceiveth him at the last, death bodily preventeth him, and so departing without repentance he dyeth un-instructed, and after the bodily, immediatly followeth the Note. death of the soule for evermore. To expresse which trust of his to a longer life, the Sept. hath it; He is cast downe out of the multitude of his life; the life of which he thought that there had been many dayes to come, failes him before he is aware of it, and so he perisheth. And thus shall it be with all that persist in sinne against instruction, upon hope to live to repent afterwards.