Ecclesiastes 7 commentary

Reputation for piety and honesty is more desirable than all the wealth and pleasure in this world. It will do more good to go to a funeral than to a feast. We may lawfully go to both, as there is occasion; our Saviour both feasted at the wedding of his friend in Cana, and wept at the grave of his friend in Bethany. But, considering how apt we are to be vain and indulge the flesh, it is best to go to the house of mourning, to learn the end of man as to this world. Seriousness is better than mirth and jollity. That is best for us which is best for our souls, though it be unpleasing to sense. It is better to have our corruptions mortified by the rebuke of the wise, than to have them gratified by the song of fools. The laughter of a fool is soon gone, the end of his mirth is heaviness.

The event of our trials and difficulties is often better than at first we thought. Surely it is better to be patient in spirit, than to be proud and hasty. Be not soon angry, nor quick in resenting an affront. Be not long angry; though anger may come into the bosom of a wise man, it passes through it as a way-faring man; it dwells only in the bosom of fools. It is folly to cry out upon the badness of our times, when we have more reason to cry out for the badness of our own hearts; and even in these times we enjoy many mercies. It is folly to cry up the goodness of former times; as if former ages had not the like things to complain of that we have: this arises from discontent, and aptness to quarrel with God himself.

Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, yea better. It shelters from the storms and scorching heat of trouble. Wealth will not lengthen out the natural life; but true wisdom will give spiritual life, and strengthen men for services under their sufferings. Let us look upon the disposal of our condition as the work of God, and at last all will appear to have been for the best. In acts of righteousness, be not carried into heats or passions, no, not by a zeal for God. Be not conceited of thine own abilities; nor find fault with every thing, nor busy thyself in other men's matters. Many who will not be wrought upon by the fear of God, and the dread of hell, will avoid sins which ruin their health and estate, and expose to public justice. But those that truly fear God, have but one end to serve, therefore act steadily. If we say we have not sinned, we deceive ourselves. Every true believer is ready to say, God be merciful to me a sinner. Forget not at the same time, that personal righteousness, walking in newness of life, is the only real evidence of an interest by faith in the righteousness of the Redeemer. Wisdom teaches us not to be quick in resenting affronts. Be not desirous to know what people say; if they speak well of thee, it will feed thy pride, if ill, it will stir up thy passion. See that thou approve thyself to God and thine own conscience, and then heed not what men say of thee; it is easier to pass by twenty affronts than to avenge one. When any harm is done to us, examine whether we have not done as bad to others.

Solomon, in his search into the nature and reason of things, had been miserably deluded. But he here speaks with godly sorrow. He alone who constantly aims to please God, can expect to escape; the careless sinner probably will fall to rise no more. He now discovered more than ever the evil of the great sin of which he had been guilty, the loving many strange women, I Kin. 11:1. A woman thoroughly upright and godly, he had not found. How was he likely to find such a one among those he had collected? If any of them had been well disposed, their situation would tend to render them all nearly of the same character. He here warns others against the sins into which he had been betrayed. Many a godly man can with thankfulness acknowledge that he has found a prudent, virtuous woman in the wife of his bosom; but those men who have gone in Solomon's track, cannot expect to find one. He traces up all the streams of actual transgression to the fountain. It is clear that man is corrupted and revolted, and not as he was made. It is lamentable that man, whom God made upright, has found out so many ways to render himself wicked and miserable. Let us bless Him for Jesus Christ, and seek his grace, that we may be numbered with his chosen people.

CHAPTER 7

Ec 7:1-29.

1. (See on Ec 6:12).

name--character; a godly mind and life; not mere reputation with man, but what a man is in the eyes of God, with whom the name and reality are one thing (Is 9:6). This alone is "good," while all else is "vanity" when made the chief end.

ointment--used lavishly at costly banquets and peculiarly refreshing in the sultry East. The Hebrew for "name" and for "ointment," have a happy paronomasia, Sheem and Shemen. "Ointment" is fragrant only in the place where the person is whose head and garment are scented, and only for a time. The "name" given by God to His child (Re 3:12) is for ever and in all lands. So in the case of the woman who received an everlasting name from Jesus Christ, in reward for her precious ointment (Is 56:5; Mr 14:3-9). Jesus Christ Himself hath such a name, as the Messiah, equivalent to Anointed (So 1:3).

and the day of [his] death, &c.--not a general censure upon God for creating man; but, connected with the previous clause, death is to him, who hath a godly name, "better" than the day of his birth; "far better," as Php 1:23 has it.

2. Proving that it is not a sensual enjoyment of earthly goods which is meant in Ec 3:13; 5:18. A thankful use of these is right, but frequent feasting Solomon had found dangerous to piety in his own case. So Job's fear (Ec 1:4, 5). The house of feasting often shuts out thoughts of God and eternity. The sight of the dead in the "house of mourning" causes "the living" to think of their own "end."

3. Sorrow--such as arises from serious thoughts of eternity.

laughter--reckless mirth (Ec 2:2).

by the sadness ... better--(Psa 126:5, 6; 2Co 4:17; He 12:10, 11). Maurer translates: "In sadness of countenance there is (may be) a good (cheerful) heart." So Hebrew, for "good," equivalent to "cheerful" (Ec 11:9); but the parallel clause supports English Version.

5. (Psa 141:4, 5). Godly reproof offends the flesh, but benefits the spirit. Fools' songs in the house of mirth please the flesh, but injure the soul.

6. crackling--answers to the loud merriment of fools. It is the very fire consuming them which produces the seeming merry noise (Joe 2:5). Their light soon goes out in the black darkness. There is a paronomasia in the Hebrew, Sirim ("thorns"), Sir ("pot"). The wicked are often compared to "thorns" (2Sa 23:6; Na 1:10). Dried cow-dung was the common fuel in Palestine; its slowness in burning makes the quickness of a fire of thorns the more graphic, as an image of the sudden end of fools (Psa 118:12).

7. oppression--recurring to the idea (Ec 3:16; 5:8). Its connection with Ec 7:4-6 is, the sight of "oppression" perpetrated by "fools" might tempt the "wise" to call in question God's dispensations, and imitate the folly (equivalent to "madness") described (Ec 7:5,6). Weiss, for "oppression," translates, "distraction," produced by merriment. But Ec 5:8 favors English Version.

a gift--that is, the sight of bribery in "places of judgment" (Ec 3:16) might cause the wise to lose their wisdom (equivalent to "heart"), (Job 12:6; 21:6, 7; 24:1, &c.). This suits the parallelism better than "a heart of gifts"; a benevolent heart, as Weiss.

8. connected with Ec 7:7. Let the "wise" wait for "the end," and the "oppressions" which now (in "the beginning") perplex their faith, will be found by God's working to be overruled to their good. "Tribulation worketh patience" (Ro 5:3), which is infinitely better than "the proud spirit" that prosperity might have generated in them, as it has in fools (Psa 73:2, 3, 12-14, 17-26; Jas 5:11).

9. angry--impatient at adversity befalling thee, as Job was (Ec 5:2; Pr 12:16).

10. Do not call in question God's ways in making thy former days better than thy present, as Job did (Job 29:2-5). The very putting of the question argues that heavenly "wisdom" (Margin) is not as much as it ought made the chief good with thee.

11. Rather, "Wisdom, as compared with an inheritance, is good," that is, is as good as an inheritance; "yea, better (literally, and a profit) to them that see the sun" (that is, the living, Ec 11:7; Job 3:16; Psa 49:19).

12. Literally, (To be) in (that is, under) the shadow (Is 30:2) of wisdom (is the same as to be) in (under) the shadow of money; wisdom no less shields one from the ills of life than money does.

is, that--rather, "the excellency of the knowledge of wisdom giveth life," that is, life in the highest sense, here and hereafter (Pr 3:18; Joh 17:3; 2Pe 1:3). Wisdom (religion) cannot be lost as money can. It shields one in adversity, as well as prosperity; money, only in prosperity. The question in Ec 7:10 implies a want of it.

13. Consider as to God's work, that it is impossible to alter His dispensations; for who can, &c.

straight ... crooked--Man cannot amend what God wills to be "wanting" and "adverse" (Ec 1:15; Job 12:14).

14. consider--resumed from Ec 7:13. "Consider," that is, regard it as "the work of God"; for "God has made (Hebrew, for 'set') this (adversity) also as well as the other (prosperity)." "Adversity" is one of the things which "God has made crooked," and which man cannot "make straight." He ought therefore to be "patient" (Ec 7:8).

after him--equivalent to "that man may not find anything (to blame) after God" (that is, after "considering God's work," Ec 7:13). Vulgate and Syriac, "against Him" (compare Ec 7:10; Ro 3:4).

15. An objection entertained by Solomon

in the days of his vanity--his apostasy (Ec 8:14; Job 21:7).

just ... perisheth--(1Ki 21:13). Temporal not eternal death (Joh 10:28). But see on Ec 7:16; "just" is probably a self-justiciary.

wicked ... prolongeth--See the antidote to the abuse of this statement in Ec 8:12.

16. Holden makes Ec 7:16 the scoffing inference of the objector, and Ec 7:17 the answer of Solomon, now repentant. So (1Co 15:32) the skeptic's objection; (1Co 15:33) the answer. However, "Be not righteous over much," may be taken as Solomon's words, forbidding a self-made righteousness of outward performances, which would wrest salvation from God, instead of receiving it as the gift of His grace. It is a fanatical, pharisaical righteousness, separated from God; for the "fear of God" is in antithesis to it (Ec 7:18; 5:3, 7; Mt 6:1-7; 9:14; 23:23, 24; Ro 10:3; 1Ti 4:3).

over wise--(Job 11:12; Ro 12:3, 16), presumptuously self-sufficient, as if acquainted with the whole of divine truth.

destroy thyself--expose thyself to needless persecution, austerities and the wrath of God; hence to an untimely death. "Destroy thyself" answers to "perisheth" (Ec 7:15); "righteous over much," to "a just man." Therefore in Ec 7:15 it is self-justiciary, not a truly righteous man, that is meant.

17. over much wicked--so worded, to answer to "righteous over much." For if not taken thus, it would seem to imply that we may be wicked a little. "Wicked" refers to "wicked man" (Ec 7:15); "die before thy time," to "prolongeth his life," antithetically. There may be a wicked man spared to "live long," owing to his avoiding gross excesses (Ec 7:15). Solomon says, therefore, Be not so foolish (answering antithetically to "over wise," Ec 7:16), as to run to such excess of riot, that God will be provoked to cut off prematurely thy day of grace (Ro 2:5). The precept is addressed to a sinner. Beware of aggravating thy sin, so as to make thy case desperate. It refers to the days of Solomon's "vanity" (apostasy, Ec 7:15), when only such a precept would be applicable. By litotes it includes, "Be not wicked at all."

18. this ... this--the two opposite excesses (Ec 7:16, 17), fanatical, self-wise righteousness, and presumptuous, foolhardy wickedness.

he that feareth God shall come forth of them all--shall escape all such extremes (Pr 3:7).

19. Hebrew, "The wisdom," that is, the true wisdom, religion (2Ti 3:15).

than ten mighty--that is, able and valiant generals (Ec 7:12; 9:13-18; Pr 21:22; 24:5). These "watchmen wake in vain, except the Lord keep the city" (Psa 127:1).

20. Referring to Ec 7:16. Be not "self-righteous," seek not to make thyself "just" before God by a superabundance of self-imposed performances; "for true 'wisdom,' or 'righteousness,' shows that there is not a just man," &c.

21. As therefore thou being far from perfectly "just" thyself, hast much to be forgiven by God, do not take too strict account, as the self-righteous do (Ec 7:16; Lu 18:9, 11), and thereby shorten their lives (Ec 7:15, 16), of words spoken against thee by others, for example, thy servant: Thou art their "fellow servant" before God (Mt 18:32-35).

22. (1Ki 2:44).

23. All this--resuming the "all" in Ec 7:15; Ec 7:15-22 is therefore the fruit of his dearly bought experience in the days of his "vanity."

I will be wise--I tried to "be wise," independently of God. But true wisdom was then "far from him," in spite of his human wisdom, which he retained by God's gift. So "over wise" (Ec 7:16).

24. That ... far off ... deep--True wisdom is so when sought independently of "fear of God" (Ec 7:18; De 30:12, 13; Job 11:7, 8; 28:12-20, 28; Psa 64:6; Ro 10:6, 7).

25. Literally, "I turned myself and mine heart to." A phrase peculiar to Ecclesiastes, and appropriate to the penitent turning back to commune with his heart on his past life.

wickedness of folly--He is now a step further on the path of penitence than in Ec 1:17; 2:12, where "folly" is put without "wickedness" prefixed.

reason--rather, "the right estimation" of things. Holden translates also "foolishness (that is, sinful folly, answering to 'wickedness' in the parallel) of madness" (that is, of man's mad pursuits).

26. "I find" that, of all my sinful follies, none has been so ruinous a snare in seducing me from God as idolatrous women (1Ki 11:3, 4; Pr 5:3, 4; 22:14). As "God's favor is better than life," she who seduces from God is "more bitter than death."

whoso pleaseth God--as Joseph (Ge 39:2, 3, 9). It is God's grace alone that keeps any from falling.

27. this--namely, what follows in Ec 7:28.

counting one by one--by comparing one thing with another [Holden and Maurer].

account--a right estimate. But Ec 7:28 more favors Gesenius. "Considering women one by one."

28. Rather, referring to his past experience, "Which my soul sought further, but I found not."

one man--that is, worthy of the name, "man," "upright"; not more than one in a thousand of my courtiers (Job 33:23; Psa 12:1). Jesus Christ alone of men fully realizes the perfect ideal of "man." "Chiefest among ten thousand" (So 5:10). No perfect "woman" has ever existed, not even the Virgin Mary. Solomon, in the word "thousand," alludes to his three hundred wives and seven hundred concubines. Among these it was not likely that he should find the fidelity which one true wife pays to one husband. Connected with Ec 7:26, not an unqualified condemnation of the sex, as Pr 12:4; 31:10, &c., prove.

29. The "only" way of accounting for the scarcity of even comparatively upright men and women is that, whereas God made man upright, they (men) have, &c. The only account to be "found" of the origin of evil, the great mystery of theology, is that given in Holy Writ (Ge 2:1-3:24). Among man's "inventions" was the one especially referred to in Ec 7:26, the bitter fruits of which Solomon experienced, the breaking of God's primeval marriage law, joining one man to "one" woman (Mt 19:4, 5, 6). "Man" is singular, namely, Adam; "they," plural, Adam, Eve, and their posterity.

A good name - Unsatisfactory as all sublunary things are, yet still there are some which are of great consequence, and among them a good name. The place is well paraphrased in the following verses: "A spotless name,

By virtuous deeds acquired, is sweeter far

Than fragant balms, whose odors round diffused

Regale the invited guests. Well may such men

Rejoice at death's approach, and bless the hours

That end their toilsome pilgrimage; assured

That till the race of life is finish'd none

Can be completely blest."

It is better to go to the house of mourning - Birthdays were generally kept with great festivity, and to these the wise man most probably refers; but according to his maxim, the miseries of life were so many and so oppressive that the day of a man's death was to be preferred to the day of his birth. But, in dependently of the allusion, it is much more profitable to visit the house of mourning for the dead than the house of festivity. In the former we find occasion for serious and deeply edifying thoughts and reflections; from the latter we seldom return with one profitable thought or one solid impression.

Sorrow is better than laughter - The reason is immediately given; for by the sorrow of the countenance - the grief of heart that shows itself in the countenance: -

The heart is made better - In such cases, most men try themselves at the tribunal of their own consciences, and resolve on amendment of life.

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning - A wise man loves those occasions from which he can derive spiritual advantage; and therefore prefers visiting the sick, and sympathizing with those who have suffered privations by death. But the fool - the gay, thoughtless, and giddy - prefers places and times of diversion and amusement. Here he is prevented from seriously considering either himself or his latter end. The grand fault and misfortune of youth.

For as the crackling of thorns - They make a great noise, a great blaze; and are extinguished in a few moments. Such indeed, comparatively, are the joys of life; they are noisy, flashy, and transitory.

Oppression maketh a wise man mad - This has been translated with good show of reason, "Surely oppression shall give lustre to a wise man: but a gift corrupteth the heart."

The chief difference here is in the word יהולל yeholel, which, from the root הלל halal, signiffes to glister, irradiate, as well as to move briskly, to be mad, furious, in a rage; and certainly the former meaning suits this place best. We cannot think that the wise man - he that is truly religious, (for this is its meaning in the language of Solomon), can be made mad by any kind of oppression; but as he trusts in God, so in patience he possesses his soul.

Better is the end - We can then judge of the whole, and especially if the matter relate to the conduct of Divine Providence. At the beginning we are often apt to make very rash conjectures, and often suppose that such and such things are against us; and that every thing is going wrong. Dr. Byrom gives good advice on such a subject: - "With patient mind thy course of duty run:

God nothing does, nor suffers to be done,

But thou wouldst do thyself, couldst thou but see

The and of all events, as well as He."

I may add, in the words of our paraphrast: - "Wait the result, nor ask with frantic rage

Why God permits such things. His ways, though now

Involved in clouds and darkness, will appear

All right, when from thine eyes the mist is cleared.

Till then, to learn submission to his will

More wisdom shows, than vainly thus to attempt

Exploring what thou canst not comprehend,

And God for wisest ends thinks fit to hide."

C.

Anger resteth in the bosom of fools - A wise man, off his guard, may feel it for a moment: but in him it cannot rest: it is a fire which he immediately casts out of his breast. But the fool - the man who is under the dominion of his own tempers, harbors and fosters it, till it takes the form of malice, and then excites him to seek full revenge on those whom he deems enemies. Hence that class of dangerous and empty fools called duellists.

The former days were better than these? - This is a common saying; and it is as foolish as it is common. There is no weight nor truth in it; but men use it to excuse their crimes, and the folly of their conduct. "In former times, say they, men might be more religious, use more self-denial, be more exemplary." This is all false. In former days men were wicked as they are now, and religion was unfashionable: God also is the same now as he was then; as just, as merciful, as ready to help: and there is no depravity in the age that will excuse your crimes, your follies, and your carelessness.

Among the oriental proverbs I find the following: "Many say, This is a corrupt age. This mode of speaking is not just, it is not the age that is corrupt, but the men of the age."

Wisdom is good with an inheritance - In this chapter Solomon introduces many observations which appear to be made by objectors against his doctrine; and as he was satisfied of their futility, he proposes them in their own full strength, and then combats and destroys them. It is quite necessary to attend to this; else we shall take the objector's words for those of Solomon; and think, as some have done, that the wise man contradicts and refutes himself. Observations, reflections, and objections of friends and adversaries are frequently introduced in the works of ancient authors, without mentioning them as such. This is frequent, more particularly in ethic writers; and we have many specimens in Horace, and without this distinction, it would be impossible to make sense of some of his writings. Here, an objector who had listened to the wise man declaiming in favor of wisdom, suddenly interrupts him, and says in effect, "I grant the truth of what you have said. Wisdom is very good in its place; but what is it without property? A man who has a good inheritance may be profited by wisdom, because it will show him how to manage it to the best advantage."

Wisdom is a defense - To whom Solomon answers: All true wisdom is most undoubtedly a great advantage to men in all circumstances; and money is also of great use: but it cannot be compared to wisdom. Knowledge of Divine and human things is a great blessing. Money is the means of supporting our animal life: but wisdom - the religion of the true God - gives life to them that have it. Money cannot procure the favor of God, nor give life to the soul.

Consider the work of God - Such is the nature of his providence, that it puts money into the hands of few: but wisdom is within the reach of all. The first is not necessary to happiness; therefore, it is not offered to men; the latter is; and therefore God, in his goodness, offers it to the whole human race. The former can rarely be acquired, for God puts it out of the reach of most men, and you cannot make that straight which he has made crooked; the latter may be easily attained by every person who carefully and seriously seeks it from God.

In the day of prosperity be joyful - When ye receive these temporal gifts from God, enjoy them, and be thankful to the Giver: but remember, this sunshine will not always last. God has balanced prosperity and adversity against each other; and were it not so, how many would put the former in the place of God himself!

There is a just man that perisheth - This is another objection as if he had said, "I also have had considerable experience; and I have not discovered any marked approbation of the conduct of the righteous, or disapprobation of that of the wicked. On the contrary, I have seen a righteous man perish, while employed in the work of righteousness; and a wicked man prosperous, and even exalted, while living wickedly. The former is indeed a victim to his righteousness, while the life and prosperity of the latter were preserved: hence I conclude, it is not prudent, whatever good there may be in religion, and whatever excellence in wisdom, that men should be overmuch righteous, or over-wise: for why should they by austerity and hard study destroy themselves?" So far the objector.

Why shouldest thou destroy thyself? - תשומם tishshomem, make thyself desolate, so that thou shalt be obliged to stand alone; neither make thyself over-wise, תתחכם tithchaccam, do not pretend to abundance of wisdom. Why shouldest thou be so singular? In other words, and in modern language, "There is no need of all this watching, fasting, praying, self-denial, etc., you carry things to extremes. Why should you wish to be reputed singular and precise?" To this the man of God answers:

Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? - אל תרשע הרבה al tirsha harbeh. Do not multiply wickedness, do not add direct opposition to godliness to the rest of your crimes. Why should you provoke God to destroy you before your time? Perdition will come soon enough. If you will not turn from your sins, and avoid it finally, yet keep out of it as long as you can.

It cannot be supposed, except by those who are totally unacquainted with the nature of true religion, that a man may have too much holiness, too much of the life of God in his soul! And yet a learned doctor, in three sermons on this text, has endeavored to show, out-doing Solomon's infidel, "the sin, folly, and danger of being righteous overmuch." O rare darkness!

It is good that thou shouldest take hold or this - Do not let such an observation slip: take hold of this; do not forget that. Get what you can in an honest way; but do not forget to get true religion; for he that fears God will be saved from all evil.

Wisdom strengtheneth the wise - One wise, thoroughly learned, and scientific man, may be of more use in fortifying and defending a city, than ten princes. Witness the case of Syracuse, when attacked by the Romans both by sea and land. Archimedes, by his engines, burnt and dashed their fleet to pieces, and destroyed all that came near the walls. And had not the city been betrayed and he killed, all their force and skill could not have taken it.

There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not - לא יחטא lo yechta, that may not sin. There is not a man upon earth, however just he may be, and habituated to do good, but is peccable - liable to commit sin; and therefore should continually watch and pray, and depend upon the Lord. But the text does not say, the just man does commit sin, but simply that he may sin; and so our translators have rendered it in 1Sam 2:25, twice in 1Kgs 8:31, 1Kgs 8:46, and 2Chr 6:36; and the reader is requested to consult the note on 1Kgs 8:46, where the proper construction of this word may be found, and the doctrine in question is fully considered.

Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken - This is good advice, and much for every man's peace through life.

Thy servant curse thee - מקללך mekallelecha, make light of thee, speak evil of thee.

Thou thyself - hast cursed others - קללת kalalta, thou hast spoken evil; hast vilified others. O, who is free from evil speaking, from uncharitable speaking; from detailing their neighbor's faults, from whispering, talebearing, and backbiting? Do not wonder if God, in his justice, permit thee to be calumniated, seeing thou hast so frequently calumniated others. See my discourse on Psa 15:1-5 (note).

All this have I proved by wisdom - These rules I have laid down for my own conduct, and sought after more wisdom; but have fallen far short of what I wished to be.

That which is far off - Though the wisdom that is essential to our salvation may be soon learned, through the teaching of the Spirit of wisdom, yet in wisdom itself there are extents and depths which none can reach or fathom.

I applied mine heart - I cast about, סבותי sabbothi, I made a circuit; I circumscribed the ground I was to traverse; and all within my circle I was determined to know, and to investigate, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things. Has man reason and understanding? If so, then this is his work. God as much calls him to use these powers in this way, as to believe on the Lord Jesus that he may be saved; and he that does not, according to the means in his power, is a slothful servant, from whom God may justly take away the misemployed or not used talent, and punish him for his neglect. Every doctrine of God is a subject both for reason and faith to work on.

To know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness - "And my own heart, with scrutiny severe,

By far the harder task survey'd; intent

To trace that wisdom which from heaven descends,

Fountain of living waters, and to explore

The source of human folly, whose foul streams

Intoxicate and kill." - C.

And I find more bitter than death the woman - After all his investigation of the wickedness of folly, and the foolishness of madness, he found nothing equally dangerous and ruinous with the blandishments of cunning women. When once the affections are entangled, escape without ruin is almost impossible.

Whoso pleaseth God - The man who walks with God, and he alone, shall escape this sore evil: and even he that fears God, if he get with an artful woman, may be soon robbed of his strength, and become like other men. A bad or artful woman is represented as a company of hunters, with nets, gins, etc., to catch their prey.

Counting one by one - I have gone over every particular. I have compared one thing with another; man with woman, his wisdom with her wiles; his strength with her blandishments; his influence with her ascendancy; his powers of reason with her arts and cunning; and in a thousand men, I have found one thoroughly upright man; but among one thousand women I have not found one such. This is a lamentable account of the state of morals in Judea, in the days of the wise King Solomon. Thank God! it would not be difficult to get a tithe of both in the same number in the present day.

The Targum gives this a curious turn: "There is another thing which my soul has sought, but could not find: a man perfect and innocent, and without corruption, from the days of Adam until Abraham the just was born; who was found faithful and upright among the thousand kings who came together to construct the tower of Babel: but a woman like to Sarah among the wives of all those kings I have not found."

Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright - Whatever evil may be now found among men and women, it is not of God; for God made them all upright. This is a singular verse, and has been most variously translated: עשה האלהים את האדם ישר והמה בקשו חשבנות רבים asah haelohim eth haadam yashar vehemhah bikkeshu chishbonoth rabbim. "Elohim has made mankind upright, and they have sought many computations." "He hath meddled with endless questions." - Vulgate. "Many reasonings." - Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic. "They seek dyverse sotylties." Coverdale.

And he himself mengide with questions without eend. - Old MS. Bible.

The Targum considers the text as speaking of Adam and Eve. "This have I found out, that the Lord made the first man upright before him, and innocent: but the serpent and Eve seduced him to eat of the fruit of the tree, which gave the power to those who ate of it to discern between good and evil; and was the cause that death came upon him, and all the inhabitants of the earth; and they sought that they might find out many stratagems to bring this evil upon all the inhabitants of the world."

I doubt much whether the word חשבנות chishbonoth should be taken in a bad sense. It may signify the whole of human devices, imaginations, inventions, artifice, with all their products; arts, sciences, schemes, plans, and all that they have found out for the destruction or melioration of life. God has given man wondrous faculties; and of them he has made strange uses, and sovereign abuses: and they have been, in consequence, at one time his help, and at another his bane. This is the fair way of understanding this question.

Of death - Seeing this life is so full of vanity, and vexation, and misery, it is more desirable for a man to go out of it, than to come into it.

The house - Where mourners meet to celebrate the funeral of a deceased friend. That - Death. The living - Will be seriously affected with it, whereas feasting is commonly attended with levity, and manifold temptations.

The wise - Are constantly meditating upon serious things.

Thorns - Which for a time make a great noise and blaze, but presently go out.

A gift - A bribe given to a wise man, deprives him of the use of his understanding. So this verse discovers two ways whereby a wise man may be made mad, by suffering oppression from others, or by receiving bribes to oppress others. And this also is an argument of the vanity of worldly wisdom that is so easily corrupted and lost.

The end - The good or evil of things is better known by their end, than by their beginning. The patient - Who quietly waits for the issue of things. The proud - Which he puts instead of hasty or impatient, because pride is the chief cause of impatience.

Better - More quiet and comfortable. For this is an argument of a mind unthankful for the many mercies, which men enjoy even in evil times. For - This question shews thy folly in contending with thy Lord and governor, in opposing thy shallow wit to his unsearchable wisdom.

Good - When wisdom and riches meet in one man, it is an happy conjunction. By it - By wisdom joined with riches there comes great benefit. To them - Not only to a man's self, but many others in this world.

Life - But herein knowledge of wisdom excels riches, that whereas riches frequently expose men to destruction, true wisdom doth often preserve a man from temporal, and always from eternal ruin.

Consider - His wise, and just, and powerful government of all events, which is proposed as the last and best remedy against all murmurings. For who - No man can correct or alter any of God's works; and therefore all frettings at the injuries of men, or calamities of times, are not only sinful, but also vain and fruitless. This implies that there is an hand of God in all mens actions, either effecting them, if they be good, or permitting them, if they be bad, and ordering and over - ruling them, whether they he good or bad.

Be joyful - Enjoy God's favours with thankfulness. Consider - Consider that it is God's hand, and therefore submit to it: consider also why God sends it, for what sins, and with what design. God also - Hath wisely ordained, that prosperity and adversity should succeed one another. That - No man might be able to foresee, what shall befal him afterwards; and therefore might live in a constant dependance upon God, and neither despair in trouble, nor be secure or presumptuous in prosperity.

All - All sorts of events. My vanity - Since I have come into this vain life. Perisheth - Yea, for his righteousness, which exposes him to the envy, anger, or hatred of wicked men. Wickedness - Notwithstanding all his wickedness.

Be not - This verse and the next have a manifest reference to ver.15, being two inferences drawn from the two clauses of the observation. Solomon here speaks in the person of an ungodly man, who takes occasion to dissuade men from righteousness, because of the danger which attends it. Therefore, saith he, take heed of strictness, zeal, and forwardness in religion. And the next verse contains an antidote to this suggestion; yea, rather saith he, be not wicked or foolish overmuch; for that will not preserve thee, as thou mayest imagine, but will occasion and hasten thy ruin.

Take hold of - Embrace and practise this counsel. Shall come - Shall be delivered from all extremes, and from all the evil consequences of them.

Strengthen - Supports him in, and secures him against troubles and dangers.

Sinneth not - Who is universally and perfectly good.

Also - Do not strictly search into them, nor listen to hear them.

Proved - I have found to be true, by the help of that singular wisdom which God had given me. I said - I determined that I would attain perfection of wisdom. But - I found myself greatly disappointed.

It - God's counsels and works, and the reasons of them.

And seek - He useth three words signifying the same thing, to intimate his vehement desire, and vigorous, and unwearied endeavours after it. The reason - Both of God's various providences, and of the counsels and courses of men. The wickedness - Clearly and fully to understand the great evil of sin.

I find - By my own sad experience. Shall escape - Shall be prevented from falling into her hands.

To find - That I might make a true and just estimate.

Yet seeketh - I returned to search again with more earnestness. I find not - That it was so, he found, but the reason of the thing he could not find out. One man - A wise and virtuous man. A woman - One worthy of that name; one who is not a dishonour to her sex. Among - In that thousand whom I have taken into intimate society with myself.

Lo, this - Though I could not find out all the streams of wickedness, and their infinite windings and turnings, yet I have discovered the fountain of it, Original sin, and the corruption of nature, which is both in men and women. That - God made our first parents, Adam and Eve. Upright - Heb. right: without any imperfection or corruption, conformable to his nature and will, after his own likeness. They - Our first parents, and after them their posterity. Sought out - Were not contented with their present state, but studied new ways of making themselves more wise and happy, than God had made them. And we, their wretched children, are still prone to forsake the certain rule of God's word, and the true way to happiness, and to seek new methods of attaining it.

1 A Good name is better than precious Ointment : and the day of death , than the day of ones birth.

A good and well-grounded report from wise and worthy persons.

Heb. A name, which is put for a good name by a Synecdoche, that only being worthy to be called a name, because evil and worthless men quickly lose their Name and Memory. Thus a Wife is put for a good Wife, Prov. 18. 22. and a day for a good day, Luk. 19. 41, 44.

To wit, of a good man, or one who hath left a good Name behind him, which is easily understood both from the former clause, and from the nature of the thing; for to a wicked man this day is far worse, and most terrible. Yet if this passage be delivered with respect only to this Life, and abstracting from the future Life, as many other passages in this Book are to be understood, then this may be true in general of all men, and is the consequent of all the former discourse. Seeing this Life is so full of Vanity, and Vexation, and Misery, it is a more desirable thing for a man to go out of it, than to come into it. Which is the more considerable note, because it is contrary to the Opinion and Practice of almost all Mankind, to celebrate their own or Childrens Birth-days with solemn Feasts and rejoicings, and their deaths with all expressions of sorrow.

b Which was very fragrant, and acceptable, and useful, and of great price, especially in those Countries. See Deut. 33. 24. Psal. 92. 10. & 133. 2. Isa. 39. 2.

Marginal references: Prov. 15. 30. & 22. 1.

2 It is better to go to the house of mourning , than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men , and the living will lay it to his heart .

Where Mourners meet together to celebrate the Funerals of a deceased Friend.

To wit, death, the cause of that mourning.

It brings men to the serious consideration of their last end, which is their greatest Wisdom and Interest.

Will be seriously affected with it, and awakened to prepare for it; whereas feasting is commonly attended with Mirth, and Levity, and manifold Temptations, and indisposeth mens minds to Spiritual and Heavenly Thoughts. Hence it is evident that those passages of this Book which may seem to favour a sensual and voluptuous Life, are not spoken by Solomon in his own Name, or as his Opinion, but in the person of an Epicure.

3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better .

Either for sin, or any outward troubles.

Which is [illegible: 1+ letters]eared in the heart, but manifested in the Countenance.

More weaned from the Lusts and Vanities of this World, by which most men are ensnared and destroyed, and more quickned to seek after, and embrace that true and everlasting Happiness which God offers to them in his Word.

Marginal references: Or, [illegible: 1 word] ▪

4 The heart of the wi[illegible: 1+ letters]e is in the house of mourning ; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth .

Even when their bodies are absent. They are constantly, or very frequently meditating upon sad and serious things, such as Death and Judgment, the Vanity of this Life, and the reality and eternity of the next; because they know that these thoughts, though they be not grateful to the sensual part, yet they are absolutely necessary, and highly profitable, and most comfortable in the end, which every wise man most regards.

Their minds and affections are wholly set upon feasting, and jolly, because, like Fools and brutish Creatures, they regard only their present delight, and mind not how dearly they must pay for them.

5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wi[illegible: 1+ letters]e , than for a man to hear the song of fools.

Which though it causeth some grief, yet frequently brings great benefit, even Reformation and Salvation, both from temporal and from eternal Destruction, both which are the portion of impenitent sinners.

The flatteries, or other merry discourses, which are as pleasant to corrupt Nature, as Songs or Musick.

Marginal references: Prov. 13. 18. [illegible: 1+ letters] [illegible: 1 word] ▪ [illegible: 1 word] ▪ 32. See [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word] ▪ [illegible: 1+ letters]. 5.

6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

Which for a time make a great noise and blaze, but presently wast themselves, and go out without any considerable effect upon the meat in the pot.

So vanishing and fruitless.

Marginal references: Heb. a sound.

7 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad, and a gift destroyeth the heart .

Either 1 Active. When a wise Man falls into the practice of this sin of oppressing others, he is besotted by it, and by the vast Riches which he by his great wit gets by it. Or rather 2. Passive, when a wise man is oppressed by foolish and wicked men, it makes him fret and rage, and speak or act like a mad man; for the wisest men are most sensible of indignities and injuries, whereas fools are stupid, & do not much lay them to heart.

A bribe given to a wise man.

Deprives him of the use of his understanding, which is oft called the heart, as Exod. 23. 8. Deut. 16. 19. Hos. 4. 18. or makes him mad, as was said in the former clause. So this verse discovers two ways whereby a wise man may be made mad by suffering oppression from others, or by receiving bribes to oppress others. And this also is an argument of the vanity of worldly Wisdom, that it is so easily corrupted and lost, and so it serves the main design of this Book.

Marginal references: Deut. 16. 19.

8 Better is the end of a thing, than the beginning thereof : and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

If this verse relates to that next foregoing, it is an Argument to keep mens minds from being disordered, either by oppression or bribery, because the end of those practices will shew, that he who oppresseth another, doth himself most hurt by it, and that he who taketh Bribes is no gainer by them. But if this be independent upon the former, as divers other verses here are, it is a general and useful observation, that the good or evil of things is better known by their end, than by their beginning; which is true both in evil Counsels and Courses, which are pleasant at first, but at last bring destruction, and in all noble Enterprizes, in the studies of Learning, and in the practice of Virtue and Godliness, where the beginnings are difficult and troublesom, but in the progress and conclusion they are most easie and comfortable, and it is not sufficient to begin well, unless we persevere to the end, which crowns all.

Who quietly waits for the end and issue of things, and is willing to bear hardships and inconveniences in the mean time.

Which he puts instead of hasty or impatient, which the opposition might seem to require, partly because Pride is the chief cause of impatience, Prov. 13. 10. and makes men unable to bear any thing, either from God or from Men, whereas Humility makes Men sensible of their own unworthiness, and that they deserve, at least from God, all the indignities and injuries which they suffer from Men by Gods permission, and therefore patient under them; and partly to correct the vulgar errour of proud men, who think highly of themselves, and trample all others, especially such as are meek and patient, under their feet.

Marginal references: Pro. 24. 29.

9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry : for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

Be not angry with any man without due consideration, and just and necessary cause; for otherwise anger is somtimes lawful, and somtimes a duty.

Hath its settled and quiet abode, is their constant companion, ever at hand upon all occasions, whereas wise Men resist, and mortifie, and banish it.

In the Heart, the proper seat of the passions.

Marginal references: Pro. 14. 17. & 16. 32.

10 Say not thou , What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this .

To wit, by way of impatient Expostulation and Complaint against God, either for permitting such disorders in the World, or for bringing thee into the World in such an evil time and state of things Otherwise, a man may say this by way of prudent and pious enquiry, that by searching out the cause, he may, as far as it is in his power, apply Remedies to make them better.

Either 1. Less sinful. Or rather 2. More quiet and comfortable. For this, and not the former, is the cause of most Mens murmurings against Gods Providence. And this is an Argument of a mind discontented and unthankful for the many Mercies, which Men commonly enjoy even in evil times, and impatient under Gods hand.

This Question sheweth thy great folly in contending with thy Creator, and the Soveraign Lord and Governour of all things, in opposing thy shallow wit to his unsearchable Wisdom, and thy Will to his Will.

Marginal references: Heb. out of Wisdom.

11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun .

i. e. Very good; the Positive being put for the Superlative, as it is frequently in the Hebrew Text. When Wisdom and Riches meet in one man, it is an happy conjunction; for Wisdom without Riches is commonly contemned, Eccles. 9. 16. and wants opportunities and instruments of discovering itself, and of doing that good in the world which it is both able and willing to do; and Riches without Wisdom are like a Sword in a mad Mans Hand, an occasion of much sin and mischief, both to himself and others.

By Wisdom joined with Riches there comes great benefit. Heb. and it is an excellency, or priviledge, or advantage.

i. e. To mortal men, not only to a Mans self, but to many others who live with him in this world. Whereby also he intimates that Riches bear no price, and have no use in the other world.

Marginal references: Or, As good as an Inheritance, yea, better too.

12 For wisdom is a defence , and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledg is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it .

Heb. is a shadow; which in Scripture use notes both Protection and Refreshment. And thus [illegible: 1+ letters]ar Wisdom and Money agree.

But herein Knowledg or Wisdom (which commonly signifie the same thing) excels Riches, that whereas Riches frequently expose Men to death or destruction, true Wisdom doth oft times preserve a man from temporal, and always from eternal Ruine.

Marginal references: Heb. shadow.

13 Consider the work of God, for who can make that streight which he hath made crooked .

Not of Creation, but of Providence; his wife, and just, and powerful Government of all Events in the World, which is proposed as the last and best Remedy against all murmurings and sinful disquietments of mind, under the sense of the great and many disorders which happen in the World, as is implied, v. 10. against which Wisdom is prescribed as one Remedy, [illegible: 1+ letters]. 11, 12. and now here is another.

No Man can withstand, or correct, or alter any of Gods works; and therefore all self-tormenting frettings and discontents at the injuries of men, or calamities of times, are not only sinful, but also vain and fruitless. This reason implies that there is an Hand or Work of God in all mens actions, either effecting them, if they be good, or permitting them if they be bad, and ordering and over-ruling them, whether they be good or bad. And God is here said to make things crooked, as he is said to make the hearts of sinners fat or hard, Isa. 6. 10. and elsewhere, not positively, but privatively, because he denies or withdraws from men that Wisdom or Grace which should make them streight.

Marginal references: Ch. 1. 15. See Job 14. 4.; Or, him, so Gr.

14 In the day of prosperity be joiful , but in the day of Adversity consider : God also hath set the [illegible: 1+ letters]ne over against the other , to the end that man should find nothing after him .

Enjoy Gods favours with chearfulness and thankfulness.

To wit, Gods work, which is easily understood out of the foregoing verse. Consider that it is Gods hand, and therefore submit to i[illegible: 1+ letters], humble thy self under his hand, be sensible of it, and duly affected with it: Consider also why God sends it, for what sins, and with what design. This is a proper season for serious consideration, whereas Prosperity relaxeth the mind, and calls it forth to outward things. But this clause may be, and is by some rendred thus, and look for a day of adversity. In Prosperity rejoice with trembling, and so as to expect a change.

God hath wisely ordained these vicissitudes, that Prosperity and Adversity should succeed one another in the course of mens Lives.

Either 1. After man himself, or, as it may be rendred, after it, i. e. after his present condition, whether it be prosperous or aff[illegible: 1+ letters]ctive. So the sense is, That no man might be able to foresee, or find out what shall certainly befall him afterwards, and therefore might live in a constant dependance upon God, and might neither despair in trouble, nor be secure or presumptuous in prosperity, because of the frequent and sudden changes from one to the other. Or 2. After God, That no man might come after God, and review his works, and find any fault in them, or pretend that he could have managed things better, because this mixture of Prosperity and Adversity is most convenient both for the Glory of Gods Wisdom, and Justice, and Goodness, and for the benefit of Mankind, who have an absolute need of th[illegible: 1+ letters] vicissitude, le[illegible: 1+ letters]t they should be either corrupted and ruined by perpetual Prosperity, as many have been, or overwhelmed with uninterrupted Adversity.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word].

15 All things r have I seen in the days of my vanity : there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness , and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness .

Since I have come into this vain and transitory Life.

Either 1. Notwithstanding his Righteousness. whom his Righteousness doth not deliver in common calamities, Ezek. 21. 3. 4. & 33. 12. Or 2. For his Righteousness, which exposeth him to the Envy, and Hatred, and Rage of Persecutors or wicked men. In is somtimes used for for; but it is not so taken in the next clause which answers to this, and therefore the former seems to be the truer interpretation.

Notwithstanding all his wickedness, whereby he provokes and deserves the justice both of God and Men, who yet, for many wise and just reasons, is permitted to live long unpunished and secure.

All sorts of events, both such as have been already mentioned, and such as I am about to declare.

Marginal references: Ch. 8. 14.

16 Be not righteous overmuch , neither make thy self over-wise : why shouldest thou destroy thy self ?

This Verse and the next have a manifest reference to v. 15. being two inferences drawn from the two clauses of the observation there recorded. And this verse was delivered by Solomon, either 1. In the name and person of an ungodly man, who taketh occasion to dissuade men from the practice of Righteousness and true Wisdom, because of the danger which attends it, and is expressed in the middle of the former, and the end of this, verse. Therefore, saith he, it is not good to be more nice than wise, take heed of Strictness, Zeal, and forwardness in Religion. And then the next verse contains an Antidote to this poisonous suggestion, yea rather, [illegible: 1+ letters]aith he, be not wicked or foolish overmuch; for that will not preserve thee, as thou maist imagine, from the last clause of v. 15 but will occasion and hasten thy ruine. But seeing these words are very capable of another sense, and there is no proof or evidence of this sense in them, as there is in all other places where Solomon speaks in the person of an Epicure, this Interpretation may seem to be dangerous, and liable to misconstruction. Or 2. In his own person. And so these words are a caution to prevent, as far as may be, that destruction which o[illegible: 1+ letters] attends upon righteous Men, as was observed v. 15. Be not righteous overmuch, either 1. By being too severe in observing, censuring, and punishing the faults of others beyond the rules of equity, without giving any allowance for humane infirmity, extraordinary temptations, the state of times, and other circumstances. Or 2. By being more just than God requires, either laying those yokes and burdens upon a mans self, or others, which God hath not imposed upon him, and which are too heavy for him, of which see on Mat. 23. 4. or condemning or avoiding those things as sinful, which God hath not forbidden, which really is Superstition, but is here called Righteousness abusively, because it is so in appearance, and in the opinion of such persons. So he gives them the name, but by adding overmuch denies the thing▪ because Righteousness, as well as other virtues, avoids both the extreams, the excess as well as the defect. Or 3. By an imprudent and unseasonable ostentation, or exercise of Righteousness where it is not necessary, as if a Protestant travelling in a Popish Country should publickly profess his Religion to all whom he meets with, or when a [illegible: 1+ letters]an casts the pearl of Reproof before Swine, against that caution, Mat. 7. 6. So this is a precept that men should manage their zeal with godly Wisdom, and with condescensiion to others, as far as may be. But this is not to be understood either 1. Of such prudence as keeps a man from the practice of his duty, bu[illegible: 1+ letters] only of that Prudence which directs him in ordering the time, manner, and other circumstances of it: Or 2. As if Men could be too good, or too holy, since the strictest holiness which any man in this life can arrive at, falls far short both of the rule of Gods Word, and of those examples of God and Christ, and the holy Angels, which are propounded in Scripture for our imitation.

Be not wise in thine own conceit, nor above what is written, 1 Cor. 4. 6. nor above what is meet. Which he here implieth to be the cause of being righteous overmuch.

For thereby thou wiltst unnecessarily expose thy self to danger and mischief.

Marginal references: Heb. be absolute.

17 Be not overmuch wicked , neither be thou foolish : why shouldest thou dye before thy time ?

Do not take occasion, either from the impunity of sinners, v. 15. or from the prohibition of excessive Righteousness, to run into the contrary extream, the defect of righteousness, or to give up thy self to the practice of all manner of wickedness, as the manner of many men is, Ch. 8. 11. But this is not to be understood as if he allowed a lower degree of wickedness, no more than that prohibition of not letting the Sun go down upon a mans wrath, Eph. 4. 26. permits him to keep his wrath all the day long; and no more than the condemnation of excess of riot, and of abominable Idolatries, 1 Pet. 4. 3, 4. doth justifie any kind of rioting or Idolatry.

Which he adds to shew that such sinners, howsoever they esteem themselves wise, yet in truth are egregious fools, as the following words prove.

Either by the justice of the Magistrate, or by the vengeance of God. For though I said that somtimes a wicked man prolongeth his days, &c. v. 15. yet commonly such persons are cut off, and thou hast sufficient reason to expect and fear it.

Marginal references: Heb. not in [illegible: 1 word].

18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this , yea also from this withdraw not thine hand : for he that feareth God , shall come forth of them all .

Embrace and practise.

This Counsel last given, v. 17.

From that foregoing Advice, v. 16. It is good to avoid both those extreams.

From the practice of it.

Who ordereth his actions so as to please God, and keep his Commands, and walk by the rule of his Word.

Shall be delivered from both these, and from all other extreams, and from all the evil consequences of them. The word all is somtimes put for both, as being used of two only, as Eccles. 2. 14.

19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise, more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

True Wisdom which is always joined with the Fear of God, and which teacheth a man to keep close to the rule of his duty, without turning either to the Right Hand or to the Left.

Supporteth him in, and secureth him against troubles and dangers.

i. e. Many, uniting the forces together.

Marginal references: Pro. 21. 22. ▪ 2[illegible: 1+ letters]. 5. Ch. 9. 16, 18.

20 For there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good, and sinneth not .

So this is a reason either 1. Of the foregoing Counsels, v. 16, 17, 18, the 19th verse being interposed only as a proof of the last clause of v. 18. Or 2. To shew the necessity and advantage of that Wisdom commended v. 19. because all men are very prone to folly and sin, and therefore needs that Wisdom which is from above to direct and keep him from it. But this particle may be, and elsewhere is commonly rendred, Yet, and so the sense is, although Wisdom doth exceedingly strengthen a man, yet it doth not so strengthen him, as if it would keep him from falling into all sin; or because, or seeing that, and so this relates to the following verse, seeing all men sin, we should be ready to pardon the offences of others against us, either by word or deed; or, surely, and so it is an intire sentence, such as there are many in this book.

Whereby he manifestly, implies, that the just in Heaven are perfect and s[illegible: 1+ letters] less.

Who is universally and perfectly good, and free from all sin.

Marginal references: 1 Kin. 8. 46. [illegible: 1+ letters] Chr. 6. 36. Prov. [illegible: 1+ letters]0. 9. [illegible: 1+ letters] Joh. 1. 8.

21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken ; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee .

Do not severely observe, nor strictly search into them, nor listen to hear them, as many persons out of curiosity use to do.

To wit, concerning thee, or against thee. Under this one kind of Offences of the Tongue, which are most frequent, he seems to understand all injuries which we suffer from others, and adviseth us that we do not too rigidly examine them, nor too deeply resent them, but rather neglect and forget them.

Which will vex and grieve thee, and may provoke thee to vengeance and cruelty against him.

Marginal references: Heb. give not [illegible: 1 word] heart.

22 For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth, that thou thy self likewise hast cursed others .

Mind or Conscience, as that word is frequently used.

Either upon some great provocation, and sudden passion, or possibly upon a meer mistake, or false report. In which case thou hast both needed and desired the forbearance and forgivenness of others, and therefore by the Rules of Justice, as well as of Piety and Charity, thou art obliged to deal likewise with others.

23 All this have I proved by wisdom : I said, I will be wise , but it was far from me .

Or, All these things; of which I have here discoursed.

I have diligently examined and found all this to be true.

By the help of that singular Wisdom which God had given me.

I determined within my self that I would by all possible means seek to attain perfection of wisdom, and I persuaded my self that I should attain to it.

I found my self greatly disappointed, and the more I knew, the more I saw mine own folly and misery.

24 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out ?

No human Wit can attain to perfect Wisdom, or to the exact knowledg of Gods Counsels and Works, and the reasons of them, because they are unsearchably deep, and far above our [illegible: 1+ letters]ight, some of them being long since past, and therefore utterly unknown to us, and others yet to come which we cannot foreknow.

Marginal references: Job 28, 12, 20.

25 I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things , and to know the wickedness of folly , even of foolishness and madness.

I was not discouraged, but provoked by the difficulty of the work to undertake it: which is an argument of a great and generous Soul.

He useth three words signifying the same thing, to intimate his vehement desire, and vigorous, and unwearied endeavor after it.

Both of Gods various Providences, and of the differing and contrary counsels and courses of men.

That I might clearly and fully understand the great evil of sin, and all that wickedness, and folly, or madness which is bound up in the hearts of all men by Nature, and which discovers it self in the course of their Lives.

Marginal references: Heb. I and [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1+ letters]art [illegible: 1 word].; Ch. 1. 17. & 2. [illegible: 1+ letters]2.; Or, the account, so Gr.

26 And I find more bitter than death, the woman whose heart is snares and nets , and her hands as bands . Whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her , but the sinner shall be taken by her .

By my own sad Experience. Which Solomon here records, partly as an instance of that folly and madness which he expressed in general, v. 25. and partly as a testimony of his true Repentance, for his foul miscarriages, for which he was willing to take shame to himself, not only from the present, but from all succeeding generations.

More vexatious and pernicious, as producing those horrours of Conscience, those reproaches, and diseases, and other plagues, both temporal and spiritual, from God, which are far worse than simple death, and, after all these, everlasting destruction.

The strange woman, of whom he speaks so much in the Proverbs.

Who being subtil of heart, Prov. 7. 10. is full of crafty devices to insnare men.

Either by Gifts; or rather by lascivious Actions.

Wherewith she holds them fast in cruel bondage, so that they have neither Power no[illegible: 1+ letters] Will to forsake her, notwithstanding all the dangers and mischiefs which they know do attend upon such practices.

Heb. he that is good before God, either 1. Whom God loves and favours. Or rather 2. Who is good sincerely, or in the judgment of God who cannot be deceived; whereas Hypocrites are frequently good in the eyes or opinions of men. Which sense seems to be confirmed from the opposition of the sinner to him, both here, and Eccles. 2. 26. Hereby he intimates that neither a good temper of mind, nor great discretion, nor good Education and Instruction, nor any other thing, except Gods Grace, is a sufficient preservative from the dominion of this Lust.

Shall be prevented from falling into that sin, or, if by surprisal or strong temptation he be drawn to it, he shall be recovered out of it by true Repentance.

The wilful and obstinate sinner, who gives himself up to the common practice of this or other sins; he who is a sinner before the Lord, as the Sodomites are called, Gen. 13. 13. who is fitly opposed to him that is good before God; he in whom there is not a dram of true goodness: for otherwise all men are sinners, as was said v. 20.

Shall be intangled and kept fast in her chains, as is implied, because this is opposed to escaping from her.

It is a strange thing, and worthy of your serious observation.

Marginal references: Pro. 22. 14.; Heb. he that is good before God.

27 Behold , this have I found (saith the preacher ) counting one by one , to find out the account :

It is a strange thing, and worthy of your serious observation.

Or, the penitent, who speaks what he hath learned, both by deep Study, and costly experience.

Considering things or persons very exactly and distinctly, one after another; and not only in general and confusedly, in which case a man may very easily be mistaken, and comparing them together, whereby I was enabled to make the truer judgment of them.

That I might make a true and just estimate in this matter. Or, as it is in the margent, and was rendred v. 25. the reason, to wit, of that which I am about to say. I considered the persons severally and critically, that from thence I might understand the reason of the thing.

Marginal references: Or, weighing one thing after [illegible: 1 word] to find [illegible: 1 word] the reason.

28 Which yet my soul seeketh y, but I find not : one man among a thousand have I found, but a woman among all those have I not found.

That it was so he found out, as he now said, v. 27. but the whole truth and the reason of the thing he could not find out.

One worthy of the Name of a Man, a wise and vertuous Man. Man is put for a worthy or good Man, as Name is put for a good Name above v. 1. and Wise for a good Wife, as was noted before.

With whom I have conversed. He is supposed to mention this Number in allusion to his Thousand Wives and Concubines, as they are numbred by parcels, 1 Kings 11. 3.

One worthy of that Name, one who is not a dishonour to her Kind and Sex, who is not brutish in her disposition and conversation.

In that Thousand whom I have taken into intimate society with my self. Whereby he also passeth a severe censure upon himself that he had associated himself with such Persons, and not with the vertuous Women, which doubtless there were in his time, as appears from Prov. 31. It is not Solomon's design to disparage this Sex, nor to make a general comparison between men and women in all Places, and Ages, but onely to suggest his own experience concerning it.

It seemed so wonderful to me that I suspected I had not made a sufficient enquiry, & therefore I returned to search again with more earnestness and accuratness.

29 Lo, this onely have I found , that God hath made man upright ; but they have sought out many inventions .

Though I could not find out all the streams of wickedness and their infinite windings and turnings in the World, yet I have discovered the fountain of it, to wit, Original sin, and the corruption of Nature which is both in men and Women.

God made our first Parents, Adam and Eve.

Heb. right, without any imperfection or corruption, conformable to his Nature and Will, which is the rule of right, after his own likeness, understanding, and holy, and every way good.

Our first Parents, and after them their Posterity treading in their steps.

Were not contented with their present state, but aimed at higher things, and studied new ways of making themselves more wise and happy, than God had made them, and readily hearkned to the suggestions of the Devil to that end. And we their sinful and wretched Children after their example are still prone to forsake the certain rule of God's Word, and the true way to happiness, and to seek new Methods and Inventions of attaining to it, even such as Solomon hath discoursed of in this Book.

Marginal references: Gen. 1. 27.

Ecc 7:1 “Better is a name than precious ointment; and better is the day of death than the day when one is born.” Like ראה and ירא, so שׁם and שׁמן stand to each other in the relation of a paronomasia (vid., Song under Sol 1:3). Luther translates: “Ein gut Gerücht ist besser denn gute Salbe” “a good odour (= reputation) is better than good ointment. If we substitute the expression denn Wolgeruch than sweet scent, that would be the best possible rendering of the paronomasia. In the arrangement טוב ... טוב שׁם, tov would be adj. to shem (a good reputation goes beyond sweet scent); but tov standing first in the sentence is pred., and shem thus in itself alone, as in the cogn. prov., Pro 22:1, signifies a good, well-sounding, honourable, if not venerable name; cf. anshē hashshem, Gen 6:4; veli-shem, nameless, Job 30:8. The author gives the dark reverse to this bright side of the distich: the day of death better than the day in which one (a man), or he (the man), is born; cf. for this reference of the pronoun, Ecc 4:12; Ecc 5:17. It is the same lamentation as at Ecc 4:2., which sounds less strange from the mouth of a Greek than from that of an Israelite; a Thracian tribe, the Trausi, actually celebrated their birthdays as days of sadness, and the day of death as a day of rejoicing (vid., Bähr’s Germ. translat. of Herodotus, Ecc 4:4). - Among the people of the Old Covenant this was not possible; also a saying such as Ecc 7:1 is not in the spirit of the O.T. revelation of religion; yet it is significant that it was possible“The reflections of the Preacher,” says Hitzig (Süd. deut. ev. protest. Woch. Blatt, 1864, No. 2) “present the picture of a time in which men, participating in the recollection of a mighty religious past, and become sceptical by reason of the sadness of the present time, grasping here and there in uncertainty, were in danger of abandoning that stedfastness of faith which was the first mark of the religion of the prophets.” within it, without apostasy from it; within the N.T. revelation of religion, except in such references as Mat 26:24, it is absolutely impossible without apostasy from it, or without rejection of its fundamental meaning.

Ecc 7:2

Still more in the spirit of the N.T. (cf. e.g., Luk 6:25) are these words of this singular book which stands on the border of both Testaments: “It is better to go into a house of mourning than to go into a house of carousal (drinking): for that is the end of every man; and the living layeth it to heart.” A house is meant in which there is sorrow on account of a death; the lamentation continued for seven days (Sirach 22:10), and extended sometimes, as in the case of the death of Aaron and Moses, to thirty days; the later practice distinguished the lamentations (אנינוּת) for the dead till the time of burial, and the mournings for the dead (אבלוּת), which were divided into seven and twenty-three days of greater and lesser mourning; on the return from carrying away the corpse, there was a Trostmahl (a comforting repast), to which, according as it appears to an ancient custom, those who were to be partakers of it contributed (Jer 16:7; Hos 9:4; Job 4:17, funde vinum tuum et panem tuum super sepulchra justorum).Cf. Hamb. Real Encyc. für Bibel u. Talmud (1870), article “Trauer.”

This feast of sorrow the above proverb leaves out of view, although also in reference to it the contrast between the “house of carousal” and “house of mourning” remains, that in the latter the drinking must be in moderation, and not to drunkenness.Maimuni’s Hilchoth Ebel, iv. 7, xiii. 8.

The going into the house of mourning is certainly thought of as a visit for the purpose of showing sympathy and of imparting consolation during the first seven days of mourning (Joh 11:31).Ibid. xiii. 2.

Thus to go into the house of sorrow, and to show one’s sympathy with the mourners there, is better than to go into a house of drinking, where all is festivity and merriment; viz., because the former (that he is mourned over as dead) is the end of every man, and the survivor takes it to heart, viz., this, that he too must die. הוּא follows attractionally the gender of סוף (cf. Job 31:11, Kerı̂). What is said at Ecc 3:13 regarding כּל־ה is appropriate to the passage before us. החי is rightly vocalised; regarding the form החי, vid., Baer in the critical remarks of our ed. of Isaiah under Isa 3:22. The phrase נתן אל־לב here and at Ecc 9:1 is synon. with שׂים אל־לב, שׂים על־לב (e.g., Isa 57:1) and שׂים בּלב. How this saying agrees with Koheleth’s ultimatum: There is nothing better than to eat and drink, etc. (Ecc 2:24, etc.), the Talmudists have been utterly perplexed to discover; Manasse ben-Israel in his Conciliador (1632) loses himself in much useless discussion.Vid., the English translation by Lindo (London 1842), vol. ii. pp. 306-309.

The solution of the difficulty is easy. The ultimatum does not relate to an unconditional enjoyment of life, but to an enjoyment conditioned by the fear of God. When man looks death in the face, the two things occur to him, that he should make use of his brief life, but make use of it in view of the end, thus in a manner for which he is responsible before God.

Ecc 7:3-4

The joy of life must thus be not riot and tumult, but a joy tempered with seriousness: “Better is sorrow than laughter: for with a sad countenance it is well with the heart. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, and the heart of fools in the house of mirth.” Grief and sorrow, כּעס, whether for ourselves or occasioned by others, is better, viz., morally better, than extravagant merriment; the heart is with רע פּ (inf. as רע, Jer 7:6; cf. פן ר, Gen 40:7; Neh 2:2), a sorrowful countenance, better than with laughter, which only masks the feeling of disquiet peculiar to man, Pro 14:13. Elsewhere לב ייטב = “the heart is (may be) of good cheer,” e.g., Rth 3:7; Jdg 19:6; here also joyful experience is meant, but well becoming man as a religious moral being. With a sad countenance it may be far better as regards the heart than with a merry countenance in boisterous company. Luther, in the main correct, after Jerome, who on his part follows Symmachus: “The heart is made better by sorrow.” The well-being is here meant as the reflex of a moral: bene se habere.

Sorrow penetrates the heart, draws the thought upwards, purifies, transforms. Therefore is the heart of the wise in the house of sorrow; and, on the other hand, the heart of fools is in the house of joy, i.e., the impulse of their heart goes thither, there they feel themselves at home; a house of joy is one where there are continual feasts, or where there is at the time a revelling in joy. That Ecc 7:4 is divided not by Athnach, but by Zakef, has its reason in this, that of the words following אבל, none consists of three syllables; cf. on the contrary, Ecc 7:7, חכם. From this point forward the internal relation of the contents is broken up, according to which this series of sayings as a concluding section hangs together with that containing the observations going before in Ecc 6:1-12.

Ecc 7:5-6

A fourth proverb of that which is better (מן טוב) presents, like the third, the fools and the wise over against each other: “Better to hear the reproof of a wise man, than that one should hear the song of fools. For like the crackling of Nesseln (nettles) under the Kessel (kettle), so the laughter of the fool: also this is vain.” As at Pro 13:1; Pro 17:10, גּערה is the earnest and severe words of the wise, which impressively reprove, emphatically warn, and salutarily alarm. שׁיר in itself means only song, to the exclusion, however, of the plaintive song; the song of fools is, if not immoral, yet morally and spiritually hollow, senseless, and unbridled madness. Instead of משּׁמע, the words מא שׁ are used, for the twofold act of hearing is divided between different subjects. A fire of thorn-twigs flickers up quickly and crackles merrily, but also exhausts itself quickly (Psa 118:12), without sufficiently boiling the flesh in the pot; whilst a log of wood, without making any noise, accomplishes this quietly and surely.

We agree with Knobel and Vaihinger in copying the paronomasia [Nessel-Kessel]. When, on the other hand, Zöckler remarks that a fire of nettles could scarcely crackle, we advise our friend to try it for once in the end of summer with a bundle of stalks of tall dry nettles. They yield a clear blaze, a quickly expiring fire, to which here, as he well remarks, the empty laughter of foolish men is compared, who are devoid of all earnestness, and of all deep moral principles of life. This laughter is vain, like that crackling.

There is a hiatus between Ecc 7:6 and Ecc 7:7. For how Ecc 7:7 can be related to Ecc 7:6 as furnishing evidence, no interpreter has as yet been able to say. Hitzig regards Ecc 7:6 as assigning a reason for Ecc 7:5, but 6 b as a reply (as Ecc 7:7 containing its motive shows) to the assertion of Ecc 7:5, - a piece of ingenious thinking which no one imitates. Elster translates: “Yet injustice befools a wise man,” being prudently silent about this “yet.” Zöckler finds, as Knobel and Ewald do, the mediating thought in this, that the vanity of fools infects and also easily befools the wise. But the subject spoken of is not the folly of fools in general, but of their singing and laughter, to which Ecc 7:7 has not the most remote reference. Otherwise Hengst.: “In Ecc 7:7, the reason is given why the happiness of fools is so brief; first, the mens sana is lost, and then destruction follows.” But in that case the words ought to have been כסיל יהולל; the remark, that חכם here denotes one who ought to be and might be such, is a pure volte. Ginsburg thinks that the two verses are co-ordinated by כי; that Ecc 7:6 gives the reason for Ecc 7:5, and Ecc 7:7 that for Ecc 7:5, since here, by way of example, one accessible to bribery is introduced, who would act prudently in letting himself therefore be directed by a wise man. But if he had wished to be thus understood, the author would have used another word instead of חכם, 7a, and not designated both him who reproves and him who merits reproof by the one word - the former directly, the latter at least indirectly. We do not further continue the account of the many vain attempts that have been made to bring Ecc 7:7 into connection with Ecc 7:6 and Ecc 7:5. Our opinion is, that Ecc 7:7 is the second half of a tetrastich, the first half of which is lost, which began, as is to be supposed, with tov. The first half was almost the same as Psa 37:16, or better still, as Pro 16:8, and the whole proverb stood thus: טוב מעט בּחדקה מרב תּבוּאות בּלא משׁפּט׃ [and then follows Ecc 7:7 as it lies before us in the text, formed into a distich, the first line of which terminates with חכם]. We go still further, and suppose that after the first half of the tetrastich was lost, that expression, “also this is vain,” added to Ecc 7:6 by the punctuation, was inserted for the purpose of forming a connection for כי עשק: Also this is vain, that, etc. (כי, like asher, Ecc 8:14).

Ecc 7:7

Without further trying to explain the mystery of the כי, we translate this verse: “... For oppression maketh wise men mad, and corruption destroyeth the understanding.” From the lost first half of the verse, it appears that the subject here treated of is the duties of a judge, including those of a ruler into whose hands his subjects, with their property and life, are given. The second half is like an echo of Exo 23:8; Deu 16:19. That which שׁחד there means is here, as at Pro 15:27, denoted by מתּנה; and עשׁק is accordingly oppression as it is exercised by one who constrains others who need legal aid and help generally to purchase it by means of presents. Such oppression for the sake of gain, even if it does not proceed to the perversion of justice, but only aims at courting and paying for favour, makes a wise man mad (הולל, as at Job 12:17; Isa 44:25), i.e., it hurries him forth, since the greed of gold increases more and more, to the most blinding immorality and regardlessness; and such presents for the purpose of swaying the judgment, and of bribery, destroys the heart, i.e., the understanding (cf. Hos 4:11, Bereschith rabba, chap. lvi.), for they obscure the judgment, blunt the conscience, and make a man the slave of his passion. The conjecture העשׁר (riches) instead of the word העשׁק (Burger, as earlier Ewald) is accordingly unnecessary; it has the parallelism against it, and thus generally used gives an untrue thought. The word הולל does not mean “gives lustre” (Desvoeux), or “makes shine forth = makes manifest” (Tyler); thus also nothing is gained for a better connection of Ecc 7:7 and Ecc 7:6. The Venet. excellently: ἐκστήσει. Aben Ezra supposes that מתנה is here = דּבר מת; Mendelssohn repeats it, although otherwise the consciousness of the syntactical rule, Gesen. §147 a, does not fail him.

Ecc 7:8

There now follows a fourth, or, taking into account the mutilated one, a fifth proverb of that which is better: “Better the end of a thing than its beginning; better one who forbears than one who is haughty. Hasten thyself not in thy spirit to become angry: for anger lieth down in the bosom of fools.” The clause 8 a is first thus to be objectively understood as it stands. It is not without limitation true; for of a matter in itself evil, the very contrary is true, Pro 5:4; Pro 23:32. But if a thing is not in itself evil, the end of its progress, the reaching to its goal, the completion of its destination, is always better than its beginning, which leaves it uncertain whether it will lead to a prosperous issue. An example of this is Solon’s saying to Croesus, that only he is to be pronounced happy whose good fortune it is to end his life well in the possession of his wealth (Herod. i. 32).

The proverb Ecc 7:8 will stand in some kind of connection with 8 a, since what it says is further continued in Ecc 7:9. In itself, the frequently long and tedious development between the beginning and the end of a thing requires expectant patience. But if it is in the interest of a man to see the matter brought to an issue, an ארך אףּ will, notwithstanding, wait with self-control in all quietness for the end; while it lies in the nature of the רוּח גּבהּ, the haughty, to fret at the delay, and to seek to reach the end by violent means; for the haughty man thinks that everything must at once be subservient to his wish, and he measures what others should do by his own measureless self-complacency. We may with Hitzig translate: “Better is patience (ארך = ארך) than haughtiness” (גּבהּ, inf., as שׁפל, Ecc 12:4; Pro 16:19). But there exists no reason for this; גּבהּ is not to be held, as at Pro 16:5, and elsewhere generally, as the connecting form of גּבהּ, and so ארך for that of ארך; it amounts to the same thing whether the two properties (characters) or the persons possessing them are compared.

Ecc 7:9

In this verse the author warns against this pride which, when everything does not go according to its mind, falls into passionate excitement, and thoughtlessly judges, or with a violent rude hand anticipates the end. אל־תּב: do not overturn, hasten not, rush not, as at Ecc 5:1. Why the word בּרוּחך, and not בנפשך or בלבך, is used, vid., Psychol. pp. 197-199: passionate excitements overcome a man according to the biblical representation of his spirit, Pro 25:28, and in the proving of the spirit that which is in the heart comes forth in the mood and disposition, Pro 15:13. כּעוס is an infin., like ישׁון, Ecc 5:11. The warning has its reason in this, that anger or (כעס, taken more potentially than actually) fretfulness rests in the bosom of fools, i.e., is cherished and nourished, and thus is at home, and, as it were (thought of personally, as if it were a wicked demon), feels itself at home (ינוּח, as at Pro 14:33). The haughty impetuous person, and one speaking out rashly, thus acts like a fool. In fact, it is folly to let oneself be impelled by contradictions to anger, which disturbs the brightness of the soul, takes away the considerateness of judgment, and undermines the health, instead of maintaining oneself with equanimity, i.e., without stormy excitement, and losing the equilibrium of the soul under every opposition to our wish.

From this point the proverb loses the form “better than,” but tov still remains the catchword of the following proverbs. The proverb here first following is so far cogn., as it is directed against a particular kind of ka'as (anger), viz., discontentment with the present.

Ecc 7:10 “Say not: How comes it that the former times were better than these now? for thou dost not, from wisdom, ask after this.” Cf. these lines from Horace (Poet. 173, 4):“Difficilis, querulus, laudator temporis acti Se puero, censor castigatorque minorum.”

Such an one finds the earlier days - not only the old days described in history (Deu 4:32), but also those he lived in before the present time (cf. e.g., 2Ch 9:29) - thus by contrast to much better than the present tones, that in astonishment he asks: “What is it = how comes it that?” etc. The author designates this question as one not proceeding from wisdom: מח, like the Mishnic חכמה מתּוך, and על שׁאל, as at Neh 1:2; 'al-zeh refers to that question, after the ground of the contrast, which is at the same time an exclamation of wonder. The כי, assigning a reason for the dissuasion, does not mean that the cause of the difference between the present and the good old times is easily seen; but it denotes that the supposition of this difference is foolish, because in truth every age has its bright and its dark sides; and this division of light and shadow between the past and the present betrays a want of understanding of the signs of the times and of the ways of God. This proverb does not furnish any point of support for the determination of the date of the authorship of the Book of Koheleth. But if it was composed in the last century of the Persian domination, this dissatisfaction with the present times is explained, over against which Koheleth leads us to consider that it is self-deception and one-sidedness to regard the present as all dark and the past as all bright and rosy.

Ecc 7:11-12

Externally connecting itself with “from wisdom,” there now follows another proverb, which declares that wisdom along with an inheritance is good, but that wisdom is nevertheless of itself better than money and possessions: “Wisdom is good with family possessions, and an advantage for those who see the sun. For wisdom affordeth a shadow, money affordeth a shadow; yet the advantage of knowledge is this, that wisdom preserveth life to its possessor.” Most of the English interpreters, from Desvoeux to Tyler, translate: “Wisdom is as good as an inheritance;” and Bullock, who translates: “with an inheritance,” says of this and the other translations: “The difference is not material.” But the thought is different, and thus the distinction is not merely a formal one. Zöckl. explains it as undoubted that עם here, as at Ecc 2:16 (vid., l.c.), means aeque ac; (but (1) that aeque ac has occurred to no ancient translator, till the Venet. and Luther, nor to the Syr., which translates: “better is wisdom than weapons (מאנא זינא),” in a singular way making Ecc 7:11 a duplette of Ecc 9:18; (2) instead of “wisdom is better than wealth,” as e.g., Pro 8:11; (3) the proverb is formed like Aboth ii. 2, “good is study connected with a citizen-like occupation,” and similar proverbs; (4) one may indeed say: “the wise man dieth with (together with) the fool” = just as well as the fool; but “good is wisdom with wealth” can neither be equivalent to “as well as wealth,” nor: “in comparison with wealth” (Ewald, Elster), but only: “in connection with wealth (possessions);” aeque ac may be translated for una cum where the subject is common action and suffering, but not in a substantival clause consisting of a subst. as subject and an adj. as pred., having the form of a categorical judgment. נחלה denotes a possession inherited and hereditary (cf. Pro 20:21); and this is evidence in favour of the view that עם is meant not of comparison, but of connection; the expression would otherwise be עם־עשׁר. ויתר is now also explained. It is not to be rendered: “and better still” (than wealth), as Herzf., Hitz., and Hengst. render it; but in spite of Hengst., who decides in his own way, “יותר never means advantage, gain,” it denotes a prevailing good, avantage; and it is explained also why men are here named “those who see the sun” - certainly not merely thus describing them poetically, as in Homer ζώειν is described and coloured by ὁρᾶν φάος ἠελίοιο. To see the sun, is = to have entered upon this earthly life, in which along with wisdom, also no inheritance is to be despised. For wisdom affords protection as well as money, but the former still more than the latter. So far, the general meaning of Ecc 7:12 is undisputed. Buthow is Ecc 7:12 to be construed? Knobel, Hitz., and others regard ב as the so-called beth essentiae: a shadow (protection) is wisdom, a shadow is money, - very expressive, yet out of harmony, if not with the language of that period, yet with the style of Koheleth; and how useless and misleading would this doubled בּ be here! Hengstenberg translates: in the shadow of wisdom, at least according to our understanding of Ecc 7:11, is not likened to the shadow of silver; but in conformity with that עם, it must be said that wisdom, and also that money, affords a shadow; (2) but that interpretation goes quite beyond the limits of gnomic brachyology. We explain: for in the shadow (בּצל, like בּצּל, Jon 4:5) is wisdom, in the shadow, money; by which, without any particularly bold poetic licence, is meant that he who possesses wisdom, he who possesses money, finds himself in a shadow, i.e., of pleasant security; to be in the shadow, spoken of wisdom and money, is = to sit in the shadow of the persons who possess both. 12b. The exposition of this clause is agreed upon. It is to be construed according to the accentuation: and the advantage of knowledge is this, that “wisdom preserveth life to its possessors.” The Targ. regards דעת החכמה as connected genit.; that might be possible (cf. Ecc 1:17; Ecc 8:16), but yet is improbable. Wherever the author uses דעת as subst., it is an independent conception placed beside חך, Ecc 1:16; Ecc 2:26, etc. We now translate, not: wisdom gives life (lxx, Jerome, Venet., Luther) to its possessors; for חיּה always means only either to revive (thus Hengst., after Psa 119:25; cf. Psa 71:20) or to keep in life; and this latter meaning is more appropriate to this book than the former, - thus (cf. Pro 3:18): wisdom preserves in life, - since, after Hitzig, it accomplishes this, not by rash utterances of denunciation, - a thought lying far behind Ecc 7:10, and altogether too mean, - but since it secures it against self-destruction by vice and passions and emotions, e.g., anger (Ecc 7:9), which consume life. The shadow in which wisdom (the wise man) sits keeps it fresh and sound, - a result which the shadow in which money (the capitalist) sits does not afford: it has frequently the directly contrary effect.

Ecc 7:13-14

There now follows a proverb of devout submission to the providence of God, connecting itself with the contents of Ecc 7:10 : “Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight which He hath made crooked! In the good day be of good cheer, and in the day of misfortune observe: God hath also made this equal to that, to the end that man need not experience anything (further) after his death.” While ראה, Ecc 1:10; Ecc 7:27, Ecc 7:29, is not different from הנּה, and in Ecc 9:9 has the meaning of “enjoy,” here the meaning of contemplative observation, mental seeing, connects itself both times with it. כּי before מי can as little mean quod, as asher, Ecc 6:12, before mi can mean quoniam. “Consider God’s work” means: recognise in all that is done the government of God, which has its motive in this, that, as the question leads us to suppose, no creature is able (cf. Ecc 6:10 and Ecc 1:15) to put right God’s work in cases where it seems to contradict that which is right (Job 8:3; Job 34:12), or to make straight that which He has made crooked (Psa 146:9). 14a. The call here expressed is parallel to Sir. 14:14 (Fritz.): “Withdraw not thyself from a good day, and let not thyself lose participation in a right enjoyment.” The ב of בּטובis, as little as that of בּצל, the beth essentiae - it is not a designation of quality, but of condition: in good, i.e., cheerful mood. He who is, Jer 44:17, personally tov, cheerful (= tov lev), is betov (cf. Psa 25:13, also Job 21:13). The reverse side of the call, 14 ab, is of course not to be translated: and suffer or bear the bad day (Ewald, Heiligst.), for in this sense we use the expression רעה ראה, Jer 44:17, but not ברעה ראה, which much rather, Oba 1:13, means a malicious contemplation of the misfortune of a stranger, although once, Gen 21:16, ב ראה also occurs in the sense of a compassionate, sympathizing look, and, moreover, the parall. shows that רעה ביום is not the obj., but the adv. designation of time. Also not: look to = be attentive to (Salomon), or bear it patiently (Burger), for ראה cannot of itself have that meaning.Similarly also Sohar (Par. (מחור): הוי וגו, i.e., cave et circumspice, viz., that thou mayest not incur the judgment which is pronounced.

But: in the day of misfortune observe, i.e., perceive and reflect: God has also made (cf. Job 2:10) the latter לעמּת corresponding, parallel, like to (cf. under Ecc 5:15) the former.

So much the more difficult is the statement of the object of this mingling by God of good and evil in the life of man. It is translated: that man may find nothing behind him; this is literal, but it is meaningless. The meaning, according to most interpreters, is this: that man may investigate nothing that lies behind his present time, - thus, that belongs to the future; in other words: that man may never know what is before him. But aharav is never (not at Ecc 6:12) = in the future, lying out from the present of a man; but always = after his present life. Accordingly, Ewald explains, and Heiligst. with him: that he may find nothing which, dying, he could take with him. But this rendering (cf. Ecc 5:14) is here unsuitable. Better, Hitzig: because God wills it that man shall be rid of all things after his death, He puts evil into the period of his life, and lets it alternate with good, instead of visiting him therewith after his death. This explanation proceeds from a right interpretation of the words: idcirco ut (cf. Ecc 3:18) non inveniat homo post se quidquam, scil. quod non expertus sit, but gives a meaning to the expression which the author would reject as unworthy of his conception of God. What is meant is much more this, that God causes man to experience good and evil that he may pass through the whole school of life, and when he departs hence that nothing may be outstanding (in arrears) which he has not experienced.

Ecc 7:15-16

The first of these counsels warns against extremes, on the side of good as well as on that of evil: “All have I seen in the days of my vanity: there are righteous men who perish by their righteousness, and there are wicked men who continue long by their wickedness. Be not righteous over-much, and show not thyself wise beyond measure: why wilt thou ruin thyself? Be not wicked overmuch, and be no fool: why wilt thou die before thy time is? It is good that thou holdest thyself to the one, and also from the other withdrawest not thine hand: for he that feareth God accomplisheth it all.” One of the most original English interpreters of the Book of Koheleth, T. Tyler (1874), finds in the thoughts of the book - composed, according to his view, about 200 b.c. - and in their expression, references to the post-Aristotelian philosophy, particularly to the Stoic, variously interwoven with orientalism. But here, in Ecc 7:15-18, we perceive, not so much the principle of the Stoical ethics - τῇ φύσει ὁμολογουμένως ζῆν - as that of the Aristotelian, according to which virtue consists in the art μέσως ἔξηειν, the art of holding the middle between extremes.Cf. Luthardt’s Lectures on the Moral Truths of Christianity, 2nd ed. Edin., T. and T. Clark.

Also, we do not find here a reference to the contrasts between Pharisaism and Sadduceeism (Zöckl.), viz., those already in growth in the time of the author; for if it should be also true, as Tyler conjectures, that the Sadducees had such a predilection for Epicurism, - as, according to Josephus (Vit. c. 2), “the doctrine of the Pharisees is of kin to that of the Stoics,” - yet צדקה and רשׁעה are not apportioned between these two parties, especially since the overstraining of conformity to the law by the Pharisees related not to the moral, but to the ceremonial law. We derive nothing for the right understanding of the passage from referring the wisdom of life here recommended to the tendencies of the time. The author proceeds from observation, over against which the O.T. saints knew not how to place any satisfying theodicee. הבלי ימי (vid., Ecc 6:12) he so designates the long, but for the most part uselessly spent life lying behind him. 'et-hakol is not “everything possible” (Zöckl.), but “all, of all kinds” (Luth.), which is defined by 15 b as of two kinds; for 15 a is the introduction of the following experience relative to the righteous and the unrighteous, and thus to the two classes into which all men are divided. We do not translate: there are the righteous, who by their righteousness, etc. (Umbr., Hitzig, and others); for if the author should thus commence, it would appear as if he wished to give unrighteousness the preference to righteousness, which, however, was far from him. To perish in or by his righteousness, to live long in or by his wickedness (מאריך, scil. ימים, Ecc 8:13, as at Pro 28:2), is = to die in spite of righteousness, to live in spite of wickedness, as e.g., Deu 1:32 : “in this thing” = in spite of, etc. Righteousness has the promise of long life as its reward; but if this is the rule, it has yet its exceptions, and the author thence deduces the doctrine that one should not exaggerate righteousness; for if it occurs that a righteous man, in spite of his righteousness, perishes, this happens, at earliest, in the case in which, in the practice of righteousness, he goes beyond the right measure and limit. The relative conceptions הרבּה and יותר have here, since they are referred to the idea of the right measure, the meaning of nimis. חתחכּם could mean, “to play the wise man;” but that, whether more or less done, is objectionable. It means, as at Exo 1:10, to act wisely (cf. Psa 105:25, הת, to act cunningly). And השׁ, which is elsewhere used of being inwardly torpid, i.e., being astonished, obstupescere, has here the meaning of placing oneself in a benumbed, disordered state, or also, passively, of becoming disconcerted; not of becoming desolate or being deserted (Hitz., Ginsburg, and others), which it could only mean in highly poetic discourse (Isa 54:1). The form תּשּׁומם is syncop., like תּךּ, Num 21:27; and the question, with למּה, here and at Ecc 7:17, is of the same kind as Ecc 5:5; Luther, weakening it: “that thou mayest not destroy thyself.”

Ecc 7:17

Up to this point all is clear: righteousness and wisdom are good and wholesome, and worth striving for; but even in these a transgressing of the right measure is possible (Luther remembers the summum just summa injuria), which has as a consequence, that they become destructive to man, because he thereby becomes a caricature, and either perishes rushing from one extreme into another, or is removed out of the way by others whose hatred he provokes. But it is strange that the author now warns against an excess in wickedness, so that he seems to find wickedness, up to a certain degree, praiseworthy and advisable. So much the stranger, since “be no fool” stands as contrast to “show not thyself wise,” etc.; so that “but also be no wicked person” was much rather to be expected as contrast to “be not righteous over-much.” Zöckler seeks to get over this difficulty with the remark: “Koheleth does not recommend a certain moderation in wickedness as if he considered it allowable, but only because he recognises the fact as established, that every man is by nature somewhat wicked.” The meaning would then be: man’s life is not free from wickedness, but be only not too wicked! The offensiveness of the advice is not thus removed; and besides, Ecc 7:18 demands in a certain sense, an intentional wickedness, - indeed, as Ecc 7:18 shows, a wickedness in union with the fear of God. The correct meaning of “be not wicked over-much” may be found if for תרשׁע we substitute תּחטא; in this form the good counsel at once appears as impossible, for it would be immoral, since “sinning,” in all circumstances, is an act which carries in itself its own sentence of condemnation. Thus רשׁע must here be a setting oneself free from the severity of the law, which, although sin in the eyes of the over-righteous, is yet no sin in itself; and the author here thinks, in accordance with the spirit of his book, principally of that fresh, free, joyous life to which he called the young, that joy of life in its fulness which appeared to him as the best and fairest reality in this present time; but along with that, perhaps also of transgressions of the letter of the law, of shaking off the scruples of conscience which conformity to God-ordained circumstances brings along with it. He means to say: be not a narrow rigorist, - enjoy life, accommodate thyself to life; but let not the reins be too loose; and be no fool who wantonly places himself above law and discipline: Why wilt thou destroy thy life before the time by suffering vice to kill thee (Psa 34:22), and by want of understanding ruin thyself (Pro 10:21)?An old proverb, Sota 3a, says: “A man commits no transgression unless there rules in him previously the spirit of folly.”

Ecc 7:18 “It is good that thou holdest fast to the one,” - viz. righteousness and wisdom, - and withdrawest not thy hand from the other, - viz. a wickedness which renounces over-righteousness and over-wisdom, or an unrestrained life; - for he who fears God accomplishes all, i.e., both, the one as well as the other. Luther, against the Vulg.: “for he who fears God escapes all.” But what “all”? Tyler, Bullock, and others reply: “All the perplexities of life;” but no such thing is found in the text here, however many perplexities may be in the book. Better, Zöckler: the evil results of the extreme of false righteousness as of bold wickedness. But that he does not destroy himself and does not die before his time, is yet only essentially one thing which he escapes; also, from Ecc 7:15, only one thing, אבד, is taken. Thus either: the extremes (Umbr.), or: the extremes together with their consequences. The thought presents a connected, worthy conclusion. But if ěth-kullam, with its retrospective suffix, can be referred to that which immediately precedes, this ought to have the preference. Ginsburg, with Hitzig: “Whoso feareth God will make his way with both;” but what an improbable phrase! Jerome, with his vague nihil negligit, is right as to the meaning. In the Bible, the phrase ה ... יחא, egressus est urbem, Gen 44:4, cf. Jer 10:20, is used; and in the Mishna, יצא את־ידי חובתו, i.e., he has discharged his duty, he is quit of it by fulfilling it. For the most part, יצא merely is used: he has satisfied his duty; and יצא לא, he has not satisfied it, e.g., Berachoth 2:1. Accordingly יחא - since ěth-kullam relates to, “these ought he to have done, and not to leave the other undone,” Mat 23:23 - here means: he who fears God will set himself free from all, will acquit himself of the one as well as of the other, will perform both, and thus preserve the golden via media.

Ecc 7:19 “Wisdom affords strong protection to the wise man more than ten mighty men who are in the city.” We have to distinguish, as is shown under Psa 31:3, the verbs עזז, to be strong, and עוּז, to flee for refuge; תּעז is the fut. of the former, whence מעז, stronghold, safe retreat, protection, and with ל, since עזז means not only to be strong, but also to show oneself strong, as at Eccl 9:20, to feel and act as one strong; it has also the trans. meaning, to strengthen, as shown in Psa 68:29, but here the intrans. suffices: wisdom proves itself strong for the wise man. The ten shallithim are not, with Ginsburg, to be multiplied indefinitely into “many mighty men.” And it is not necessary, with Desvoeux, Hitz., Zöckl., and others, to think of ten chiefs (commanders of forces), including the portions of the city garrison which they commanded. The author probably in this refers to some definite political arrangement, perhaps to the ten archons, like those Assyrian salaṭ, vice-regents, after whom as eponyms the year was named by the Greeks. שׁלּיט, in the Asiatic kingdom, was not properly a military title. And did a town then need protection only in the time of war, and not also at other times, against injury threatening its trade, against encroachments on its order, against the spread of infectious diseases, against the force of the elements? As the Deutero-Isaiah (Isa 60:17) says of Jerusalem: “I will make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness,” so Koheleth says here that wisdom affords a wise man as strong a protection as a powerful decemvirate a city; cf. Pro 24:5: “A wise man is ba'oz,” i.e., mighty.

Ecc 7:20 “For among men there is not a righteous man on the earth, who doeth good, and sinneth not.” The original passage, found in Solomon’s prayer at the consecration of the temple, is briefer, 1Ki 8:46 : “There is no man who sinneth not.” Here the words might be וגו צדּיק אדם אין, there is no righteous man ... . Adam stands here as representing the species, as when we say in Germ.: Menschen gibt es keine gerechten auf Erden [men, there are none righteous on earth]; cf. Exo 5:16 : “Straw, none was given.” The verification of Ecc 7:19 by reference to the fact of the common sinfulness from which even the most righteous cannot free himself, does not contradict all expectation to the same degree as the ki in Ecc 7:7; but yet it surprises us, so that Mercer and Grätz, with Aben Ezra, take Ecc 7:20 as the verification of Ecc 7:16, here first adduced, and Knobel and Heiligst. and others connect it with Ecc 7:21, Ecc 7:22, translating: “Because there is not a just man ... , therefore it is also the part of wisdom to take no heed unto all words,” etc. But these are all forced interpretations; instead of the latter, we would rather suppose that Ecc 7:20 originally stood after Ecc 7:22, and is separated from its correct place. But yet the sequence of thought lying before us may be conceived, and that not merely as of necessity, but as that which was intended by the author. On the whole, Hitzig is correct: “For every one, even the wise man, sins; in which case virtue, which has forsaken him, does not protect him, but wisdom proves itself as his means of defence.” Zöckler adds: “against the judicial justice of God;” but one escapes from this by a penitent appeal to grace, for which there is no need for the personal property of wisdom; there is thus reason rather for thinking on the dangerous consequences which often a single false step has for a man in other respects moral; in the threatening complications in which he is thereby involved, it is wisdom which then protects him and delivers him. Otherwise Tyler, who by the עז, which the wise has in wisdom, understands power over evil, which is always moving itself even in the righteous. But the sinning spoken of in Ecc 7:20 is that which is unavoidable, which even wisdom cannot prevent or make inefficacious. On the contrary, it knows how to prevent the destruction which threatens man from his transgressions, and to remove the difficulties and derangements which thence arise. The good counsel following is connected by gam with the foregoing. The exhortation to strive after wisdom, contained in Ecc 7:19, which affords protection against the evil effects of the failures which run through the life of the righteous, is followed by the exhortation, that one conscious that he himself is not free from transgression, should take heed to avoid that tale-bearing which finds pleasure in exposing to view the shortcomings of others.

Ecc 7:21-22 “Also give not thy heart to all the words which one speaketh, lest thou shouldest hear thy servant curse thee. For thy heart knoweth in many cases that thou also hast cursed others.” The talk of the people, who are the indef. subj. of ילבּרוּ (lxx, Targ., Syr. supply ἀσεβεῖς), is not about “thee who givest heed to the counsels just given” (Hitz., Zöckl.), for the restrictive עליך is wanting; and why should a servant be zealous to utter imprecations on the conduct of his master, which rests on the best maxims? It is the babbling of the people in general that is meant. To this one ought not to turn his heart (ל ... נתן, as at Ecc 1:13, Ecc 1:17; Ecc 8:9, Ecc 8:16), i.e., gives wilful attention, ne (לא אשׁר = פּן, which does not occur in the Book of Koheleth) audias servum tuum tibi maledicere; the particip. expression of the pred. obj. follows the analogy of Gen 21:9, Ewald, §284 b, and is not a Graecism; for since in this place hearing is meant, not immediately, but mediated through others, the expression would not in good Greek be with the lxx ... τοῦ δούλου σου καταρωμένου σε, but τὸν δοῦλόν σου καταρᾶσθαι σε. The warning has its motive in this, that by such roundabout hearing one generally hears most unpleasant things; and on hearsay no reliance can be placed. Such gossiping one should ignore, should not listen to it at all; and if, nevertheless, something so bad is reported as that our own servant has spoken words of imprecation against us, yet we ought to pass that by unheeded, well knowing that we ourselves have often spoken harsh words against others. The expression וגו ידע, “thou art conscious to thyself that,” is like פּע ר, 1Ki 2:44, not the obj. accus. dependent on ידע (Hitz.), “many cases where also thou ...,” but the adv. accus. of time to קּלּלתּ; the words are inverted (Ewald, §336 b), the style of Koheleth being fond of thus giving prominence to the chief conception (Ecc 7:20, Ecc 5:18; Ecc 3:13). The first gam, although it belongs to “thine, thy,” as at Ecc 7:22 it is also connected with “thou,”גּם־אתּ, on account of the half pause, accented on the penult. according to the Masora. stands at the beginning of the sentence, after such syntactical examples as Hos 6:11; Zec 9:11; and even with a two-membered sentence, Job 2:10.

Ecc 7:23 “All this have I proved by wisdom: I thought, Wise I will become; but it remained far from me.” The ב in בּחכמה is, as at Ecc 1:13, that designating the organon, the means of knowledge. Thus he possessed wisdom up to a certain degree, and in part; but his purpose, comprehended in the one word אחכּמה, was to possess it fully and completely; i.e., not merely to be able to record observations and communicate advices, but to adjust the contradictions of life, to expound the mysteries of time and eternity, and generally to solve the most weighty and important questions which perplex men. But this wisdom was for him still in the remote distance. It is the wisdom after which Job, chap. 28, made inquiry in all regions of the world and at all creatures, at last to discover that God has appointed to man only a limited share of wisdom. Koheleth briefly condenses Job 28:12-22 in the words following:

Ecc 7:24 “For that which is, is far off, and deep, - yes, deep; who can reach it?” Knobel, Hitz., Vaih., and Bullock translate: for what is remote and deep, deep, who can find it? i.e., investigate it; but mah-shehayah is everywhere an idea by itself, and means either id quod fuit, or id quod exstitit, Ecc 1:9; Ecc 3:15; Ecc 6:10; in the former sense it is the contrast of mah-shěihyěh, Ecc 8:7; Ecc 10:14, cf. Ecc 3:22; in the latter, it is the contrast of that which does not exist, because it has not come into existence. In this way it is also not to be translated: For it is far off what it (wisdom) is (Zöckl.) [= what wisdom is lies far off from human knowledge], or: what it is (the essence of wisdom), is far off (Elst.) - which would be expressed by the words מה־שּׁהיא. And if מה־שׁהיה is an idea complete in itself, it is evidently not that which is past that is meant (thus e.g., Rosenm. quod ante aderat), for that is a limitation of the obj. of knowledge, which is unsuitable here, but that which has come into existence. Rightly, Hengst.: that which has being, for wisdom is τῶν ὄντων γνῶσις ἀψευδής, Wisd. 7:17. He compares Jdg 3:11, “the work which God does,” and Ecc 8:17, “the work which is done under the sun.” What Koheleth there says of the totality of the historical, he here says of the world of things: this (in its essence and its grounds) remains far off from man; it is for him, and also in itself and for all creatures, far too deep (עמק עמק, the ancient expression for the superlative): Who can intelligibly reach (ימץ, from מצא, assequi, in an intellectual sense, as at Ecc 3:11; Ecc 8:17; cf. Job 11:7) it (this all of being)? The author appears in the book as a teacher of wisdom, and emphatically here makes confession of the limitation of his wisdom; for the consciousness of this limitation comes over him in the midst of his teaching.

Ecc 7:25

But, on the other side, he can bear testimony to himself that he has honestly exercised himself in seeking to go to the foundation of things: “I turned myself, and my heart was there to discern, and to explore, and to seek wisdom, and the account, and to perceive wickedness as folly, and folly as madness.” Regarding sabbothi, vid., under Ecc 2:20 : a turning is meant to the theme as given in what follows, which, as we have to suppose, was connected with a turning away form superficiality and frivolity. Almost all interpreters-as also the accentuation does - connect the two words ולבּי אני; but “I and my heart” is so unpsychological an expression, without example, that many Codd. (28 of Kennicott, 44 of de Rossi) read בּלבּי daer )i with my heart. The erasure of the vav (as e.g., Luther: “I applied my heart”) would at the same time require the change of סבותי into הסבּותי. The Targ., Jerome, and the Venet. render the word בלבי; the lxx and Syr., on the contrary, ולבי; and this also is allowable, if we place the disjunctive on אני and take ולבי as consequent: my heart, i.e., my striving and effort, was to discern (Aben Ezra, Herzf., Stuart), - a substantival clause instead of the verbal את־לבּי ונתתּי, Ecc 1:13, Ecc 1:17. Regarding tur in an intellectual sense, vid., Ecc 1:13. Hhěshbon, with hhochmah, we have translated by “Rechenschaft” account, ratio; for we understand by it a knowledge well grounded and exact, and able to be established, - the facit of a calculation of all the facts and circumstances relating thereto; נתן חשׁבין is Mishnic, and = the N.T. λόγον ἀποδιδόναι. Of the two accus. Ecc 7:25 following לדעת, the first, as may be supposed, and as the determination in the second member shows, is that of the obj., the second that of the pred. (Ewald, §284 b): that רשׁע, i.e., conduct separating from God and from the law of that which is good, is kěsěl, Thorheit, folly (since, as Socrates also taught, all sinning rests on a false calculation, to the sinner’s own injury); and that hassichluth, Narrheit, foolishness, stultitia (vid., sachal, and Ecc 1:17), is to be thus translated (in contradistinction to כּסל), i.e., an intellectual and moral obtuseness, living for the day, rising up into foolery, not different from holeloth, fury, madness, and thus like a physical malady, under which men are out of themselves, rage, and are mad. Koheleth’s striving after wisdom thus, at least is the second instance (ולדעת), with a renunciation of the transcendental, went towards a practical end. And now he expresses by ומוצא one of the experiences he had reached in this way of research. How much value he attaches to this experience is evident from the long preface, by means of which it is as it were distilled. We see him there on the way to wisdom, to metaphysical wisdom, if we may so speak - it remains as far off from him as he seeks to come near to it. We then see him, yet not renouncing the effort after wisdom, on the way toward practical wisdom, which exercises itself in searching into the good and the bad; and that which has presented itself to him as the bitterest of the bitter is - a woman.

Ecc 7:26 “And I found woman more bitter than death; she is like hunting-nets. and like snares is her heart, her hands are bands: he who pleaseth God will escape from her; but the sinner is caught by them.” As א ושׁ, Ecc 4:2, so here וּם א gains by the preceding אני וסבּותי a past sense;With reference to this passage and Pro 18:22, it was common in Palestine when one was married to ask מצא או מוחא = happy or unhappy? Jebamoth 63 b. the particip. clause stands frequently thus, not only as a circumstantial clause, Gen 14:12., but also as principal clause, Gen 2:10, in an historical connection. The preceding pred. מר, in the mas. ground-form, follows the rule, Gesen. §147. Regarding the construction of the relative clause, Hitzig judges quite correctly: “היא is copula between subj. and pred., and precedes for the sake of the contrast, giving emphasis to the pred. It cannot be a nomin., which would be taken up by the suff. in לבהּ, since if this latter were subject also to מץ, היא would not certainly be found. Also asher here is not a conj.” This הוּא (היא), which in relative substantival clauses represents the copula, for the most part stands separated from asher, e.g., Gen 7:2; Gen 17:12; Num 17:5; Deu 17:15; less frequently immediately with it, Num 35:31; 1Sa 10:19; 2Ki 25:19; Lev 11:26; Deu 20:20. But this asher hu (hi) never represents the subj., placed foremost and again resumed by the reflex. pronoun, so as to be construed as the accentuation requires: quae quidem retia et laquei cor ejus = cajus quidem cor sunt retia et laquei (Heiligst.). מצוד is the means of searching, i.e., either of hunting: hunting-net (mitsodah, Ecc 9:12), or of blockading: siege-work, bulwarks, Ecc 9:14; here it is the plur. of the word in the former meaning. חרם, Hab 1:14, plur. Eze 26:5, etc. (perhaps from חרם, to pierce, bore through), is one of the many synon. for fishing-net. אסוּרים, fetters, the hands (arms) of voluptuous embrace. The primary form, after Jer 37:15, is אסוּר, אסוּר; cf. אבוּס, אב, Job 39:9. Of the three clauses following asher, vav is found in the second and is wanting to the third, as at Deu 29:22; Job 42:9; Psa 45:9; Isa 1:13; cf. on the other hand, Isa 33:6. Similar in their import are these Leonine verses:Femina praeclara facie quasi pestis amara, Et quasi fermentum corrumpit cor sapientum.

That the author is in full earnest in this harsh judgment regarding woman, is shown by 26 b: he who appears to God as good (cf. Ecc 2:26) escapes from her (the fut. of the consequence of this his relation to God); but the sinner (חוטאו) is caught by her, or, properly, in her, viz., the net-like woman, or the net to which she is compared (Psa 9:16; Isa 24:18). The harsh judgment is, however, not applicable to woman as such, but to woman as she is, with only rare exceptions; among a thousand women he has not found one corresponding to the idea of a woman.

Ecc 7:27-28 “Behold what I have found, saith Koheleth, adding one thing to another, to find out the account: What my soul hath still sought, and I have not found, (is this): one man among a thousand have I found; and a woman among all these have I not found.” It is the ascertained result, “one man, etc.,” which is solemnly introduced by the words preceding. Instead of אם קה, the words ראמר הקּה are to be read, after Ecc 12:8, as is now generally acknowledged; errors of transcription of a similar kind are found at 2Sa 5:2; Job 38:12. Ginsburg in vain disputes this, maintaining that the name Koheleth, as denoting wisdom personified, may be regarded as fem. as well as mas.; here, where the female sex is so much depreciated, was the fem. self-designation of the stern judge specially unsuitable. Hengst. supposes that Koheleth is purposely fem. in this one passage, since true wisdom, represented by Solomon, stands opposite to false philosophy. But this reason for the fem. rests on the false opinion that woman here is heresy personified; he further remarks that it is significant for this fem. personification, that there is “no writing of female authorship in the whole canon of the O.T. and N.T.” But what of Deborah’s triumphal song, the song of Hannah, the magnificat of Mary? We hand this absurdity over to the Clementines! The woman here was flesh and blood, but pulchra quamvis pellis est mens tamen plean procellis; and Koheleth is not incarnate wisdom, but the official name of a preacher, as in Assyr., for חזּנרם, curators, overseers, hazanâtiVid., Fried. Delitzsch’s Assyr. Stud. (1874), p. 132. is used. זה, Ecc 7:27, points, as at Ecc 1:10, to what follows. אחת ל, one thing to another (cf. Isa 27:12), must have been, like summa summarum and the like, a common arithmetical and dialectical formula, which is here subordinate to מצא, since an adv. inf. such as לקוח is to be supplemented: taking one thing to another to find out the חשׁבּון, i.e., the balance of the account, and thus to reach a facit, a resultat.Cf. Aboth iv. 29, וגו ליתן, “to give account;” וגו הכל, “all according to the result.”

That which presented itself to him in this way now follows. It was, in relation to woman, a negative experience: “What my soul sought on and on, and I found not, (is this).” The words are like the superscription of the following result, in which finally the זה of Ecc 7:27 terminates. Ginsburg, incorrectly: “what my soul is still seeking,” which would have required מבקּשׁת. The pret. בּקשׁה (with ק without Dagesh, as at Ecc 7:29)As generally the Piel forms of the root בקשׁ, Masor. all have Raphe on the ,ק except the imper. בּקּשׁוּ; vid., Luzzatto’s Gramm. §417. is retrospective; and עוד, from עוּד, means redire, again and again, continually, as at Gen.. Gen 46:29. He always anew sought, and that, as biqshah naphshi for בקשׁתי denotes, with urgent striving, violent longing, and never found, viz., a woman such as she ought to be: a man, one of a thousand, I have found, etc. With right, the accentuation gives Garshayim to adam; it stands forth, as at Ecc 7:20, as a general denominator - the sequence of accents, Geresh, Pashta, Zakef, is as at Gen 1:9. “One among a thousand” reminds us of Job 33:23, cf. Ecc 9:3; the old interpreters (vid., Dachselt’s Bibl. Accentuata), with reference to these parallels, connect with the one man among a thousand all kinds of incongruous christological thoughts. Only, here adam, like the Romanic l'homme and the like, means man in sexual contrast to woman. It is thus ideally meant, like ish, 1Sa 4:9; 1Sa 6:15, and accordingly also the parall. אשּׁה. For it is not to be supposed that the author denies thereby perfect human nature to woman. But also Burger’s explanation: “a human being, whether man or woman,” is a useless evasion. Man has the name adam κατ ̓ ἐξ. by primitive hist. right: “for the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man,” 1Co 11:8. The meaning, besides, is not that among a thousand human beings he found one upright man, but not a good woman (Hitz.), - for then the thousand ought to have had its proper denominator, אדם בני, - but that among a thousand persons of the male sex he found only one man such as he ought to be, and among a thousand of the female sex not one woman such as she ought to be; “among all these” is thus = among an equal number. Since he thus actually found the ideal of man only seldom, and that of woman still seldomer (for more than this is not denoted by the round numbers), the more surely does he resign himself to the following resultat, which he introduces by the word לבד (only, alone), as the clear gain of his searching:

Ecc 7:29 “Lo, this only have I found, that God created man upright; but they seek many arts.” Also here the order of the words is inverted, since זה, belonging as obj. to מץ (have I found), which is restricted by לבד, is amalgamated with ראה (Lo! see!). The author means to say: Only this (solummodo hocce) have I found, that ...; the ראה is an interjected nota bene. The expression: God has made man ישׁר, is dogmatically significant. Man, as he came from the Creator’s hand, was not placed in the state of moral decision, nor yet in the state of absolute indifference between good and evil; he was not neither good nor bad, but he was טוב, or, which is the same thing, ישׁר; i.e., in every respect normal, so that he could normally develope himself from this positively good foundation. But by the expression ישׁר `שׁ, Koheleth has certainly not exclusively his origin in view, but at the same time his relative continuation in the propagation of himself, not without the concurrence of the Creator; also of man after the fall the words are true, ישׁר עשׂה, in so far as man still possesses the moral ability not to indulge sinful affections within him, nor suffer them to become sinful actions. But the sinful affections in the inborn nature of weak sinful man have derived so strong a support from his freedom, that the power of the will over against this power of nature is for the most part as weakness; the dominance of sin, where it is not counteracted by the grace of God, has always shown itself so powerful, that Koheleth has to complain of men of all times and in all circles of life: they seek many arts (as Luther well renders it), or properly, calculations, inventions, devices (hhishshevonoth,If we derive this word from hhěshbon, the Dagesh in the שׁ is the so-called Dag. dirimens. as at 2Ch 26:15, from hhishshevon, which is as little distinguished from the formation hhěshbon, as hhizzayon from hhězyon), viz., of means and ways, by which they go astray from the normal natural development into abnormities. In other words: inventive refined degeneracy has come into the place of moral simplicity, ἁπλότης (2Ch 11:3). As to the opinion that caricatures of true human nature, contrasts between the actual and that which ought to be (the ideal), are common, particularly among the female sex, the author has testimonies in support of it from all nations. It is confirmed by the primitive history itself, in which the woman appears as the first that was led astray, and as the seducer (cf. Psychol. pp. 103-106). With reference to this an old proverb says: “Women carry in themselves a frivolous mind,” Kiddushin 80 b.Cf. Tendlau’s Sprichw. (1860), No. 733.

And because a woman, when she has fallen into evil, surpasses a man in fiendish superiority therein, the Midrash reckons under this passage before us fifteen things of which the one is worse than the other; the thirteenth is death, and the fourteenth a bad woman.Duke’s Rabb. Blumenl. (1844), No. 32.

Hitzig supposes that the author has before him as his model Agathoclea, the mistress of the fourth Ptolemy Philopator. But also the history of the Persian Court affords dreadful examples of the truth of the proverb: “Woe to the age whose leader is a woman;”Ibid. No. 118. and generally the harem is a den of female wickedness.

The Value of a Good Name.

1 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth. 2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. 6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

In these verses Solomon lays down some great truths which seem paradoxes to the unthinking part, that is, the far greatest part, of mankind.

I. That the honour of virtue is really more valuable and desirable than all the wealth and pleasure in this world (v. 1): A good name is before good ointment (so it may be read); it is preferable to it, and will be rather chosen by all that are wise. Good ointment is here put for all the profits of the earth (among the products of which oil was reckoned one of the most valuable), for all the delights of sense (for ointment and perfume which rejoice the heart, and it is called the oil of gladness), nay, and for the highest titles of honour with which men are dignified, for kings are anointed. A good name is better than all riches (Prov. xxi. 1), that is, a name for wisdom and goodness with those that are wise and good—the memory of the just; this is a good that will bring a more grateful pleasure to the mind, will give a man a larger opportunity of usefulness, and will go further, and last longer, than the most precious box of ointment; for Christ paid Mary for her ointment with a good name, a name in the gospels (Matt. xxvi. 13), and we are sure he always pays with advantage.

II. That, all things considered, our going out of the world is a great kindness to us than our coming into the world was: The day of death is preferable to the birth-day; though, as to others, there was joy when a child was born into the world, and where there is death there is lamentation, yet, as to ourselves, if we have lived so as to merit a good name, the day of our death, which will put a period to our cares, and toils, and sorrows, and remove us to rest, and joy, and eternal satisfaction, is better than the day of our birth, which ushered us into a world of so much sin and trouble, vanity and vexation. We were born to uncertainty, but a good man does not die at uncertainty. The day of our birth clogged our souls with the burden of the flesh, but the day of our death will set them at liberty from that burden.

III. That it will do us more good to go to a funeral than to go to a festival (v. 2): It is better to go to the house of mourning, and there weep with those that weep, than to go to the house of feasting, to a wedding, or a wake, there to rejoice with those that do rejoice. It will do us more good, and make better impressions upon us. We may lawfully go to both, as there is occasion. Our Saviour both feasted at the wedding of his friend in Cana and wept at the grave of his friend in Bethany; and we may possibly glorify God, and do good, and get good, in the house of feasting; but, considering how apt we are to be vain and frothy, proud and secure, and indulgent of the flesh, it is better for us to go to the house of mourning, not to see the pomp of the funeral, but to share in the sorrow of it, and to learn good lessons, both from the dead, who is going thence to his long home, and from the mourners, who go about the streets.

1. The uses to be gathered from the house of mourning are, (1.) By way of information: That is the end of all men. It is the end of man as to this world, a final period to his state here; he shall return no more to his house. It is the end of all men; all have sinned and therefore death passes upon all. We must thus be left by our friends, as the mourners are, and thus leave, as the dead do. What is the lot of others will be ours; the cup is going round, and it will come to our turn to pledge it shortly. (2.) By way of admonition: The living will lay it to his heart. Will they? It were well if they would. Those that are spiritually alive will lay it to heart, and, as for all the survivors, one would think they should; it is their own fault if they do not, for nothing is more easy and natural than by the death of others to be put in mind of our own. Some perhaps will lay that to heart, and consider their latter end, who would not lay a good sermon to heart.

2. For the further proof of this (v. 4) he makes it the character, (1.) Of a wise man that his heart is in the house of mourning; he is much conversant with mournful subjects, and this is both an evidence and a furtherance of his wisdom. The house of mourning is the wise man's school, where he has learned many a good lesson, and there, where he is serious, he is in his element. When he is in the house of mourning his heart is there to improve the spectacles of mortality that are presented to him; nay, when he is in the house of feasting, his heart is in the house of mourning, by way of sympathy with those that are in sorrow. (2.) It is the character of a fool that his heart is in the house of mirth; his heart is all upon it to be merry and jovial; his whole delight is in sport and gaiety, in merry stories, merry songs, and merry company, merry days and merry nights. If he be at any time in the house of mourning, he is under a restraint; his heart at the same time is in the house of mirth; this is his folly, and helps to make him more and more foolish.

IV. That gravity and seriousness better become us, and are better for us, than mirth and jollity, v. 3. The common proverb says, "An ounce of mirth is worth a pound of sorrow;" but the preacher teaches us a contrary lesson: Sorrow is better than laughter, more agreeable to our present state, where we are daily sinning and suffering ourselves, more or less, and daily seeing the sins and sufferings of others. While we are in a vale of tears, we should conform to the temper of the climate. It is also more for our advantage; for, by the sadness that appears in the countenance, the heart is often made better. Note, 1. That is best for us which is best for our souls, by which the heart is made better, though it be unpleasing to sense. 2. Sadness is often a happy means of seriousness, and that affliction which is impairing to the health, estate, and family, may be improving to the mind, and make such impressions upon that as may alter its temper very much for the better, may make it humble and meek, loose from the world, penitent for sin, and careful of duty. Vexatio dat intellectum—Vexation sharpens the intellect. Periissem nisi periissem—I should have perished if I had not been made wretched. It will follow, on the contrary, that by the mirth and frolicsomeness of the countenance the heart is made worse, more vain, carnal, sensual, and secure, more in love with the world and more estranged from God and spiritual things (Job xxi. 12, 14), till it become utterly unconcerned in the afflictions of Joseph, as those Amos vi. 5, 6, and the king and Haman, Esth. iii. 15.

V. That it is much better for us to have our corruptions mortified by the rebuke of the wise than to have them gratified by the song of fools, v. 5. Many that would be very well pleased to hear the information of the wise, and much more to have their commendations and consolations, yet do not care for hearing their rebukes, that is, care not for being told of their faults, though ever so wisely; but therein they are no friends to themselves, for reproofs of instruction are the way of life (Prov. vi. 23), and, though they be not so pleasant as the song of fools, they are more wholesome. To hear, not only with patience, but with pleasure, the rebuke of the wise, is a sign and means of wisdom; but to be fond of the song of fools is a sign that the mind is vain and is the way to make it more so. And what an absurd thing is it for a man to dote so much upon such a transient pleasure as the laughter of a fool is, which may fitly be compared to the burning of thorns under a pot, which makes a great noise and a great blaze, for a little while, but is gone presently, scatters its ashes, and contributes scarcely any thing to the production of a boiling heat, for that requires a constant fire! The laughter of a fool is noisy and flashy, and is not an instance of true joy. This is also vanity; it deceives men to their destruction, for the end of that mirth is heaviness. Our blessed Saviour has read us our doom: Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh; woe to you that laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep, Luke vi. 21, 25.

Scenes of Mourning and of Joy.

7 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart. 8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. 10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.

Solomon had often complained before of the oppressions which he saw under the sun, which gave occasion for many melancholy speculations and were a great discouragement to virtue and piety. Now here,

I. He grants the temptation to be strong (v. 7): Surely it is often too true that oppression makes a wise man mad. If a wise man be much and long oppressed, he is very apt to speak and act unlike himself, to lay the reins on the neck of his passions, and break out into indecent complaints against God and man, or to make use of unlawful dishonourable means of relieving himself. The righteous, when the rod of the wicked rests long on their lot, are in danger of putting forth their hands to iniquity, Ps. cxxv. 3. When even wise men have unreasonable hardships put upon them they have much ado to keep their temper and to keep their place. It destroys the heart of a gift (so the latter clause may be read); even the generous heart that is ready to give gifts, and a gracious heart that is endowed with many excellent gifts, is destroyed by being oppressed. We should therefore make great allowances to those that are abused and ill-dealt with, and not be severe in our censures of them, though they do not act so discreetly as they should; we know not what we should do if it were our own case.

II. He argues against it. Let us not fret at the power and success of oppressors, nor be envious at them, for, 1. The character of oppressors is very bad, so some understand v. 7. If he that had the reputation of a wise man becomes an oppressor, he becomes a madman; his reason has departed from him; he is no better than a roaring lion and a ranging bear, and the gifts, the bribes, he takes, the gains he seems to reap by his oppressions, do but destroy his heart and quite extinguish the poor remains of sense and virtue in him, and therefore he is rather to be pitied than envied; let him alone, and he will act so foolishly, and drive so furiously, that in a little time he will ruin himself. 2. The issue, at length, will be good: Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof. By faith see what the end will be, and with patience expect it. When proud men begin to oppress their poor honest neighbours they think their power will bear them out in it; they doubt not but to carry the day, and gain the point. But it will prove better in the end than it seemed at the beginning; their power will be broken, their wealth gotten by oppression will be wasted and gone, they will be humbled and brought down, and reckoned with for their injustice, and oppressed innocency will be both relieved and recompensed. Better was the end of Moses's treaty with Pharaoh, that proud oppressor, when Israel was brought forth with triumph, than the beginning of it, when the tale of bricks was doubled, and every thing looked discouraging.

III. He arms us against it with some necessary directions. If we would not be driven mad by oppression, but preserve the possession of our own souls,

1. We must be clothed with humility; for the proud in spirit are those that cannot bear to be trampled upon, but grow outrageous, and fret themselves, when they are hardly bestead. That will break a proud man's heart, which will not break a humble man's sleep. Mortify pride, therefore, and a lowly spirit will easily be reconciled to a low condition.

2. We must put on patience, bearing patience, to submit to the will of God in the affliction, and waiting patience, to expect the issue in God's due time. The patient in spirit are here opposed to the proud in spirit, for where there is humility there will be patience. Those will be thankful for any thing who own they deserve nothing at God's hand, and the patient are said to be better than the proud; they are more easy to themselves, more acceptable to others, and more likely to see a good issue of their troubles.

3. We must govern our passion with wisdom and grace (v. 9): Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; those that are hasty in their expectations, and cannot brook delays, are apt to be angry if they be not immediately gratified. "Be not angry at proud oppressors, or any that are the instruments of your trouble." (1.) "Be not soon angry, not quick in apprehending an affront and resenting it, nor forward to express your resentments of it." (2.) "Be not long angry;" for though anger may come into the bosom of a wise man, and pass through it as a wayfaring man, it rests only in the bosom of fools; there it resides, there it remains, there it has the innermost and uppermost place, there it is hugged as that which is dear, and laid in the bosom, and not easily parted with. He therefore that would approve himself so wise as not to give place to the devil, must not let the sun go down upon his wrath, Eph. iv. 26, 27.

4. We must make the best of that which is (v. 10): "Take it not for granted that the former days were better than these, nor enquire what is the cause that they were so, for therein thou dost not enquire wisely, since thou enquirest into the reason of the thing before thou art sure that the thing itself is true; and, besides, thou art so much a stranger to the times past, and such an incompetent judge even of the present times, that thou canst not expect a satisfactory answer to the enquiry, and therefore thou dost not enquire wisely; nay, the supposition is a foolish reflection upon the providence of God in the government of the world." Note, (1.) It is folly to complain of the badness of our own times when we have more reason to complain of the badness of our own hearts (if men's hearts were better, the times would mend) and when we have more reason to be thankful that they are not worse, but that even in the worst of times we enjoy many mercies, which help to make them not only tolerable, but comfortable. (2.) It is folly to cry up the goodness of former times, so as to derogate from the mercy of God to us in our own times; as if former ages had not the same things to complain of that we have, or if perhaps, in some respects, they had not, yet as if God had been unjust and unkind to us in casting our lot in an iron age, compared with the golden ages that went before us; this arises from nothing but fretfulness and discontent, and an aptness to pick quarrels with God himself. We are not to think there is any universal decay in nature, or degeneracy in morals. God has been always good, and men always bad; and if, in some respects, the times are now worse than they have been, perhaps in other respects they are better.

The Advantages of Wisdom.

11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun. 12 For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it. 13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? 14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. 15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness. 16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? 17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? 18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all. 19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city. 20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. 21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee: 22 For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

Solomon, in these verses, recommends wisdom to us as the best antidote against those distempers of mind which we are liable to, by reason of the vanity and vexation of spirit that there are in the things of this world. Here are some of the praises and the precepts of wisdom.

I. The praises of wisdom. Many things are here said in its commendation, to engage us to get and retain wisdom. 1. Wisdom is necessary to the right managing and improving of our worldly possessions: Wisdom is good with an inheritance, that is, an inheritance is good for little without wisdom. Though a man have a great estate, though it come easily to him, by descent from his ancestors, if he have not wisdom to use it for the end for which he has it, he had better have been without it. Wisdom is not only good for the poor, to make them content and easy, but it is good for the rich too, good with riches to keep a man from getting hurt by them, and to enable a man to do good with them. Wisdom is good of itself, and makes a man useful; but, if he have a good estate with it, that will put him into a greater capacity of being useful, and with his wealth he may be more serviceable to his generation than he could have been without it; he will also make friends to himself, Luke xvi. 9. Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, yea, better too (so the margin reads it); it is more our own, more our honour, will make us greater blessings, will remain longer with us, and turn to a better account. 2. It is of great advantage to us throughout the whole course of our passage through this world: By it there is real profit to those that see the sun, both to those that have it and to their contemporaries. It is pleasant to see the sun (ch. xi. 7), but that pleasure is not comparable to the pleasure of wisdom. The light of this world is an advantage to us in doing the business of this world (John xi. 9); but to those that have that advantage, unless withal they have wisdom wherewith to manage their business, that advantage is worth little to them. The clearness of the eye of the understanding is of greater use to us than bodily eye-sight. 3. It contributes much more to our safety, and is a shelter to us from the storms of trouble and its scorching heat; it is a shadow (so the word is), as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. Wisdom is a defence, and money (that is, as money) is a defence. As a rich man makes his wealth, so a wise man makes his wisdom, a strong city. In the shadow of wisdom (so the words run) and in the shadow of money there is safety. He puts wisdom and money together, to confirm what he had said before, that wisdom is good with an inheritance. Wisdom is as a wall, and money may serve as a thorn hedge, which protects the field. 4. It is joy and true happiness to a man. This is the excellency of knowledge, divine knowledge, not only above money, but above wisdom too, human wisdom, the wisdom of this world, that it gives life to those that have it. The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and that is life; it prolongs life. Men's wealth exposes their lives, but their wisdom protects them. Nay, whereas wealth will not lengthen out the natural life, true wisdom will give spiritual life, the earnest of eternal life; so much better is it to get wisdom than gold. 5. It will put strength into a man, and be his stay and support (v. 19): Wisdom strengthens the wise, strengthens their spirits, and makes them bold and resolute, by keeping them always on sure grounds. It strengthens their interest, and gains them friends and reputation. It strengthens them for their services under their sufferings, and against the attacks that are made upon them, more than ten mighty men, great commanders, strengthen the city. Those that are truly wise and good are taken under God's protection, and are safer there than if ten of the mightiest men in the city, men of the greatest power and interest, should undertake to secure them, and become their patrons.

II. Some of the precepts of wisdom, that wisdom which will be of so much advantage to us.

1. We must have an eye to God and to his hand in every thing that befals us (v. 13): Consider the work of God. To silence our complaints concerning cross events, let us consider the hand of God in them and not open our mouths against that which is his doing; let us look upon the disposal of our condition and all the circumstances of it as the work of God, and consider it as the product of his eternal counsel, which is fulfilled in every thing that befals us. Consider that every work of God is wise, just, and good, and there is an admirable beauty and harmony in his works, and all will appear at last to have been for the best. Let us therefore give him the glory of all his works concerning us, and study to answer his designs in them. Consider the work of God as that which we cannot make any alteration of. Who can make that straight which he has made crooked? Who can change the nature of things from what is settled by the God of nature? If he speak trouble, who can make peace? And, if he hedge up the way with thorns, who can get forward? If desolating judgments go forth with commission, who can put a stop to them? Since therefore we cannot mend God's work, we ought to make the best of it.

2. We must accommodate ourselves to the various dispensations of Providence that respect us, and do the work and duty of the day in its day, v. 14. Observe, (1.) How the appointments and events of Providence are counterchanged. In this world, at the same time, some are in prosperity, others are in adversity; the same persons at one time are in great prosperity, at another time in great adversity; nay, one event prosperous, and another grievous, may occur to the same person at the same time. Both come from the hand of God; out of his mouth both evil and good proceed (Isa. xiv. 7), and he has set the one over against the other, so that there is a very short and easy passage between them, and they are a foil to each other. Day and night, summer and winter, are set the one over against the other, that in prosperity we may rejoice as though we rejoiced not, and in adversity may weep as though we wept not, for we may plainly see the one from the other and quickly exchange the one for the other; and it is to the end that man may find nothing after him, that he may not be at any certainty concerning future events or the continuance of the present scene, but may live in a dependence upon Providence and be ready for whatever happens. Or that man may find nothing in the work of God which he can pretend to amend. (2.) How we must comply with the will of God in events of both kinds. Our religion, in general, must be the same in all conditions, but the particular instances and exercises of it must vary, as our outward condition does, that we may walk after the Lord. [1.] In a day of prosperity (and it is but a day), we must be joyful, be in good, be doing good, and getting good, maintain a holy cheerfulness, and serve the Lord with gladness of heart in the abundance of all things. "When the world smiles, rejoice in God, and praise him, and let the joy of the Lord be thy strength." [2.] In a day of adversity (and that is but a day too) consider. Times of affliction are proper times for consideration, then God calls to consider (Hag. i. 5), then, if ever, we are disposed to it, and no good will be gotten by the affliction without it. We cannot answer God's end in afflicting us unless we consider why and wherefore he contends with us. And consideration is necessary also to our comfort and support under our afflictions.

3. We must not be offended at the greatest prosperity of wicked people, nor at the saddest calamities that may befal the godly in this life, v. 15. Wisdom will teach us how to construe those dark chapters of Providence so as to reconcile them with the wisdom, holiness, goodness, and faithfulness of God. We must not think it strange; Solomon tells us there were instances of this kind in his time: "All things have I seen in the days of my vanity; I have taken notice of all that passed, and this has been as surprising and perplexing to me as any thing." Observe, Though Solomon was so wise and great a man, yet he calls the days of his life the days of his vanity, for the best days on earth are so, in comparison with the days of eternity. Or perhaps he refers to the days of his apostasy from God (those were indeed the days of his vanity) and reflects upon this as one thing that tempted him to infidelity, or at least to indifferency in religion, that he saw just men perishing in their righteousness, that the greatest piety would not secure men from the greatest afflictions by the hand of God, nay, and sometimes did expose men to the greatest injuries from the hands of wicked and unreasonable men. Naboth perished in his righteousness, and Abel long before. He had also seen wicked men prolonging their lives in their wickedness; they live, become old, yea, are mighty in power (Job xxi. 7), yea, and by their fraud and violence they screen themselves from the sword of justice. "Now, in this, consider the work of God, and let it not be a stumbling-block to thee." The calamities of the righteous are preparing them for their future blessedness, and the wicked, while their days are prolonged, are but ripening for ruin. There is a judgment to come, which will rectify this seeming irregularity, to the glory of God and the full satisfaction of all his people, and we must wait with patience till then.

4. Wisdom will be of use both for caution to saints in their way, and for a check to sinners in their way. (1.) As to saints, it will engage them to proceed and persevere in their righteousness, and yet will be an admonition to them to take heed of running into extremes: A just man may perish in his righteousness, but let him not, by his own imprudence and rash zeal, pull trouble upon his own head, and then reflect upon Providence as dealing hardly with him. "Be not righteous overmuch, v. 16. In the acts of righteousness govern thyself by the rules of prudence, and be not transported, no, not by a zeal for God, into any intemperate heats or passions, or any practices unbecoming thy character or dangerous to thy interests." Note, There may be over-doing in well-doing. Self-denial and mortification of the flesh are good; but if we prejudice our health by them, and unfit ourselves for the service of God, we are righteous overmuch. To reprove those that offend is good, but to cast that pearl before swine, who will turn again and rend us, is to be righteous overmuch. "Make not thyself over-wise. Be not opinionative, and conceited of thy own abilities. Set not up for a dictator, nor pretend to give law to, and give judgment upon, all about thee. Set not up for a critic, to find fault with every thing that is said and done, nor busy thyself in other men's matters, as if thou knewest every thing and couldst do any thing. Why shouldst thou destroy thyself, as fools often do by meddling with strife that belongs not to them? Why shouldst thou provoke authority, and run thyself into the briers, by needless contradictions, and by going out of thy sphere to correct what is amiss? Be wise as serpents; beware of men." (2.) As to sinners, if it cannot prevail with them to forsake their sins, yet it may restrain them from growing very exorbitant. It is true there is a wicked man that prolongs his life in his wickedness (v. 15); but let none say that therefore they may safely be as wicked as they will; no, be not overmuch wicked (v. 17); do not run to an excess of riot. Many that will not be wrought upon by the fear of God, and a dread of the torments of hell, to avoid all sin, will yet, if they have ever so little consideration, avoid those sins that ruin their health and estate, and expose them to public justice. And Solomon here makes use of these considerations. "The magistrate bears not the sword in vain, has a quick eye and a heavy hand, and is a terror to evil-doers; therefore be afraid of coming within his reach, be not so foolish as to lay thyself open to the law, why shouldst thou die before thy time?" Solomon, in these two cautions, had probably a special regard to some of his own subjects that were disaffected to his government and were meditating the revolt which they made immediately after his death. Some, it may be, quarrelled with the sins of their governor, and made them their pretence; to them he says, Be not righteous overmuch. Others were weary of the strictness of the government, and the temple-service, and that made them desirous to set up another king; but he frightens both from their seditious practices with the sword of justice, and others likewise from meddling with those that were given to change.

5. Wisdom will direct us in the mean between two extremes, and keep us always in the way of our duty, which we shall find a plain and safe way (v. 18): "It is good that thou shouldst take hold of this, this wisdom, this care, not to run thyself into snares. Yea, also from this withdraw not thy hand; never slacken thy diligence, nor abate thy resolution to maintain a due decorum, and a good government of thyself. Take hold of the bridle by which thy head-strong passions must be held in from hurrying thee into one mischief or other, as the horse and mule that have no understanding; and, having taken hold of it, keep thy hold, and withdraw not thy hand from it, for, it thou do, the liberty that they will take will be as the letting forth of water, and thou wilt not easily recover thy hold again. Be conscientious, and yet be cautious, and to this exercise thyself. Govern thyself steadily by the principles of religion, and thou shalt find that he that fears God shall come forth out of all those straits and difficulties which those run themselves into that cast off that fear." The fear of the Lord is that wisdom which will serve as a clue to extricate us out of the most intricate labyrinths. Honesty is the best policy. Those that truly fear God have but one end to serve, and therefore act steadily. God has likewise promised to direct those that fear him, and to order their steps not only in the right way, but out of every dangerous way, Ps. xxxvii. 23, 24.

6. Wisdom will teach us how to conduct ourselves in reference to the sins and offences of others, which commonly contribute more than any thing else to the disturbance of our repose, which contract both guilt and grief.

(1.) Wisdom teaches us not to expect that those we deal with should be faultless; we ourselves are not so, none are so, no, not the best. This wisdom strengthens the wise as much as any thing, and arms them against the danger that arises from provocation (v. 19), so that they are not put into any disorder by it. They consider that those they have dealings and conversation with are not incarnate angels, but sinful sons and daughters of Adam: even the best are so, insomuch that there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not, v. 20. Solomon had this in his prayer (1 Kings viii. 46), in his proverbs (Prov. xx. 9), and here in his preaching. Note, [1.] It is the character of just men that they do good; for the tree is known by its fruits. [2.] The best men, and those that do most good, yet cannot say that they are perfectly free from sin; even those that are sanctified are not sinless. None that live on this side of heaven live without sin. If we say, We have not sinned, we deceive ourselves. [3.] We sin even in our doing good; there is something defective, nay, something offensive, in our best performances. That which, for the substance of it, is good, and pleasing to God, is not so well done as it should be, and omissions in duty are sins, as well as omissions of duty. [4.] It is only just men upon earth that are subject thus to sin and infirmity; the spirits of just men, when they have got clear of the body, are made perfect in holiness (Heb. xii. 23), and in heaven they do good and sin not.

(2.) Wisdom teaches us not to be quicksighted, or quickscented, in apprehending and resenting affronts, but to wink at many of the injuries that are done us, and act as if we did not see them (v. 21): "Take no heed to all words that are spoken; set not thy heart to them. Vex not thyself at men's peevish reflections upon thee, or suspicions of thee, but be as a deaf man that hears not, Ps. xxxviii. 13, 14. Be not solicitous or inquisitive to know what people say of thee; if they speak well of thee, it will feed thy pride, if ill, it will stir up thy passion. See therefore that thou approve thyself to God and thy own conscience, and then heed not what men say of thee. Hearkeners, we say, seldom hear good of themselves; if thou heed every word that is spoken, perhaps thou wilt hear thy own servant curse thee when he thinks thou dost not hear him; thou wilt be told that he does, and perhaps told falsely, if thou have thy ear open to tale-bearers, Prov. xxix. 12. Nay, perhaps it is true, and thou mayest stand behind the curtain and hear it thyself, mayest hear thyself not only blamed and despised, but cursed, the worst evil said of thee and wished to thee, and that by a servant, one of the meanest rank, of the abjects, nay, by thy own servant, who should be an advocate for thee, and protect thy good name as well as thy other interests. Perhaps it is a servant thou hast been kind to, and yet he requites thee thus ill, and this will vex thee; thou hadst better not have heard it. Perhaps it is a servant thou hast wronged and dealt unjustly with, and, though he dares not tell thee so, he tells others so, and tells God so, and then thy own conscience will join with him in the reproach, which will make it much more uneasy." The good names of the greatest lie much at the mercy even of the meanest. And perhaps there is a great deal more evil said of us than we think there is, and by those from whom we little expected it. But we do not consult our own repose, no, nor our credit, though we pretend to be jealous of it, if we take notice of every word that is spoken diminishingly of us; it is easier to pass by twenty such affronts than to avenge one.

(3.) Wisdom puts us in mind of our own faults (v. 22): "Be not enraged at those that speak ill of thee, or wish ill to thee, for oftentimes, in that case, if thou retire into thyself, thy own conscience will tell thee that thou thyself hast cursed others, spoken ill of them and wished ill to them, and thou art paid in thy own coin." Note, When any affront or injury is done us it is seasonable to examine our consciences whether we have not done the same, or as bad, to others; and if, upon reflection, we find we have, we must take that occasion to renew our repentance for it, must justify God, and make use of it to qualify our own resentments. If we be truly angry with ourselves, as we ought to be, for backbiting and censuring others, we shall be the less angry with others for backbiting and censuring us. We must show all meekness towards all men, for we ourselves were sometimes foolish, Tit. iii. 2, 3; Matt. vii. 1, 2; James iii. 1, 2.

The Evil of Sin.

23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. 24 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out? 25 I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness: 26 And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. 27 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account: 28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found. 29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

Solomon had hitherto been proving the vanity of the world and its utter insufficiency to make men happy; now here he comes to show the vileness of sin, and its certain tendency to make men miserable; and this, as the former, he proves from his own experience, and it was a dear-bought experience. He is here, more than any where in all this book, putting on the habit of a penitent. He reviews what he had been discoursing of already, and tells us that what he had said was what he knew and was well assured of, and what he resolved to stand by: All this have I proved by wisdom, v. 23. Now here,

I. He owns and laments the deficiencies of his wisdom. He had wisdom enough to see the vanity of the world and to experience that that would not make a portion for a soul. But, when he came to enquire further, he found himself at a loss; his eye was too dim, his line was too short, and, though he discovered this, there were many other things which he could not prove by wisdom.

1. His searches were industrious. God had given him a capacity for knowledge above any; he set up with a great stock of wisdom; he had the largest opportunities of improving himself that ever any man had; and, (1.) He resolved, if it were possible, to gain his point: I said, I will be wise. He earnestly desired it as highly valuable; he fully designed it as that which he looked upon to be attainable; he determined not to sit down short of it, Prov. xviii. 1. Many are not wise because they never said they would be so, being indifferent to it; but Solomon set it up for the mark he aimed at. When he made trial of sensual pleasures, he still thought to acquaint his heart with wisdom (ch. ii. 3), and not to be diverted from the pursuits of that; but perhaps he did not find it so easy a thing as he imagined to keep up his correspondence with wisdom, while he addicted himself so much to his pleasures. However, his will was good; he said, I will be wise. And that was not all: (2.) He resolved to spare no pains (v. 25): "I applied my heart; I and my heart turned every way; I left no stone unturned, no means untried, to compass what I had in view. I set myself to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, to accomplish myself in all useful learning, philosophy, and divinity." If he had not thus closely applied himself to study, it would have been but a jest for him to say, I will be wise, for those that will attain the end must take the right way. Solomon was a man of great quickness, and yet, instead of using that (with many) as an excuse for slothfulness, he pressed it upon himself as an inducement to diligence, and the easier he found it to master a good notion the more intent he would be that he might be master of the more good notions. Those that have the best parts should take the greatest pains, as those that have the largest stock should trade most. He applied himself not only to know what lay on the surface, but to search what lay hidden out of the common view and road; nor did he search a little way, and then give it over because he did not presently find what he searched for, but he sought it out, went to the bottom of it; nor did he aim to know things only, but the reasons of things, that he might give an account of them.

2. Yet his success was not answerable or satisfying: "I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me; I could not compass it. After all, This only I know that I know nothing, and the more I know the more I see there is to be known, and the more sensible I am of my own ignorance. That which is far off, and exceedingly deep, who can find it out?" He means God himself, his counsels and his works; when he searched into these he presently found himself puzzled and run aground. He could not order his speech by reason of darkness. It is higher than heaven, what can he do? Job xi. 8. Blessed be God, there is nothing which we have to do which is not plain and easy; the word is nigh us (Prov. viii. 9); but there is a great deal which we would wish to know which is far off, and exceedingly deep, among the secret things which belong not to us. And probably it is a culpable ignorance and error that Solomon here laments, that his pleasures, and the many amusements of his court, had blinded his eyes and cast a mist before them, so that he could not attain to true wisdom as he designed.

II. He owns and laments the instances of his folly in which he had exceeded, as, in wisdom, he came short. Here is,

1. His enquiry concerning the evil of sin. He applied his heart to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness. Observe, (1.) The knowledge of sin is a difficult knowledge, and hard to be attained; Solomon took pains for it. Sin has many disguises with which it palliates itself, as being loth to appear sin, and it is very hard to strip it of these and to see it in its true nature and colours. (2.) It is necessary to our repentance for sin that we be acquainted with the evil of it, as it is necessary to the cure of a disease to know its nature, causes, and malignity. St. Paul therefore valued the divine law, because it discovered sin to him, Rom. vii. 7. Solomon, who, in the days of his folly, had set his wits on work to invent pleasures and sharpen them, and was ingenious in making provision for the flesh, now that God had opened his eyes is as industrious to find out the aggravations of sin and so to put an edge upon his repentance. Ingenious sinners should be ingenious penitents, and wit and learning, among the other spoils of the strong man armed, should be divided by the Lord Jesus. (3.) It well becomes penitents to say the worst they can of sin, for the truth is we can never speak ill enough of it. Solomon here, for his further humiliation, desired to see more, [1.] Of the sinfulness of sin; that is it which he lays the greatest stress upon in this inquiry, to know the wickedness of folly, by which perhaps he means his own iniquity, the sin of uncleanness, for that was commonly called folly in Israel, Gen. xxxiv. 7; Deut. xxii. 21; Judg. xx. 6; 2 Sam. xiii. 12. When he indulged himself in it, he made a light matter of it; but now he desires to see the wickedness of it, its great wickedness, so Joseph speaks of it, Gen. xxxix. 9. Or it may be taken there generally for all sin. Many extenuate their sins with this, They were folly; but Solomon sees wickedness in those follies, an offence to God and a wrong to conscience. This is wickedness, Jer. iv. 18; Zech. v. 8. [2.] Of the folly of sin; as there is a wickedness in folly, so there is a folly in wickedness, even foolishness and madness. Wilful sinners are fools and madmen; they act contrary both to right reason and to their true interest.

2. The result of this enquiry.

(1.) He now discovered more than ever of the evil of that great sin which he himself had been guilty of, the loving of many strange women, 1 Kings xi. 1. This is that which he here most feelingly laments, and in very pathetic expressions. [1.] He found the remembrance of the sin very grievous. O how heavily did it lie upon his conscience! what an agony was he in upon the thought of it—the wickedness, the foolishness, the madness, that he had been guilty of! I find it more bitter than death. As great a terror seized him, in reflection upon it, as if he had been under the arrest of death. Thus do those that have their sins set in order before them by a sound conviction cry out against them; they are bitter as gall, nay, bitter as death, to all true penitents. Uncleanness is a sin that is, in its own nature, more pernicious than death itself. Death may be made honourable and comfortable, but this sin can be no other than shame and pain, Prov. v. 9, 11. [2.] He found the temptation to the sin very dangerous, and that it was extremely difficult, and next to impossible, for those that ventured into the temptation to escape the sin, and for those that had fallen into the sin to recover themselves by repentance. The heart of the adulterous woman is snares and nets; she plays her game to ruin souls with as much art and subtlety as ever any fowler used to take a silly bird. The methods such sinners use are both deceiving and destroying, as snares and nets are. The unwary souls are enticed into them by the bait of pleasure, which they greedily catch at and promise themselves satisfaction in; but they are taken before they are aware, and taken irrecoverably. Her hands are as bands, with which, under colour of fond embraces, she holds those fast that she has seized; they are held in the cords of their own sin, Prov. v. 22. Lust gets strength by being gratified and its charms are more prevalent. [3.] He reckoned it a great instance of God's favour to any man if by his grace he has kept him from this sin: He that pleases God shall escape from her, shall be preserved either from being tempted to this sin or from being overcome by the temptation. Those that are kept from this sin must acknowledge it is God that keeps them, and not any strength or resolution of their own, must acknowledge it a great mercy; and those that would have grace sufficient for them to arm them against this sin must be careful to please God in every thing, by keeping his ordinances, Lev. xviii. 30. [4.] He reckoned it a sin that is as sore a punishment of other sins as a man can fall under in this life: The sinner shall be taken by her. First, Those that allow themselves in other sins, by which their minds are blinded and their consciences debauched, are the more easily drawn to this. Secondly, it is just with God to leave them to themselves to fall into it. See Rom. i. 26, 28; Eph. iv. 18, 19. Thus does Solomon, as it were, with horror, bless himself from the sin in which he had plunged himself.

(2.) He now discovered more than ever of the general corruption of man's nature. He traces up that stream to the fountain, as his father had done before him, on a like occasion (Ps. li. 5): Behold, I was shapen in iniquity. [1.] He endeavoured to find out the number of his actual transgressions (v. 27): "Behold, this have I found, that is, this I hoped to find; I thought I could have understood my errors and have brought in a complete list, at least of the heads of them; I thought I could have counted them one by one, and have found out the account." He desired to find them out as a penitent, that he might the more particularly acknowledge them; and, generally, the more particular we are in the confession of sin the more comfort we have in the sense of the pardon; he desired it also as a preacher, that he might the more particularly give warning to others. Note, A sound conviction of one sin will put us upon enquiring into the whole confederacy; and the more we see amiss in ourselves the more diligently we should enquire further into our own faults, that what we see not may be discovered to us, Job xxxiv. 32. [2.] He soon found himself at a loss, and perceived that they were innumerable (v. 28): "Which yet my soul seeks; I am still counting, and still desirous to find out the account, but I find not, I cannot count them all, nor find out the account of them to perfection. I still make new and amazing discoveries of the desperate wickedness that there is in my own heart," Jer. xvii. 9, 10. Who can know it? Who can understand his errors? Who can tell how often he offends? Ps. xix. 12. He finds that if God enters into judgment with him, or he with himself, for all his thoughts, words, and actions, he is not able to answer for one of a thousand, Job ix. 3. This he illustrates by comparing the corruption of his own heart and life with the corruption of the world, where he scarcely found one good man among a thousand; nay, among all the thousand wives and concubines which he had, he did not find one good woman. "Even so," says he, "When I come to recollect and review my own thoughts, words, and actions, and all the passages of my life past, perhaps among those that were manly I might find one good among a thousand, and that was all; the rest even of those had some corruption or other in them." He found (v. 20) that he had sinned even in doing good. But for those that were effeminate, that passed in the indulgence of his pleasures, they were all naught; in that part of his life there did not appear so much as one of a thousand good. In our hearts and lives there appears little good, at the best, but sometimes none at all. Doubtless this is not intended as a censure of the female sex in general; it is probable that there have been and are more good women than good men (Acts xvii. 4, 12); he merely alludes to his own sad experience. And perhaps there may be this further in it: he does, in his proverbs, warn us against the snares both of the evil man and of the strange woman (Prov. ii. 12, 16; iv. 14; v. 3); now he had observed the ways of the evil women to be more deceitful and dangerous than those of the evil men, that it was more difficult to discover their frauds and elude their snares, and therefore he compares sin to an adulteress (Prov. ix. 13), and perceives he can no more find out the deceitfulness of his own heart than he can that of a strange woman, whose ways are movable, that thou canst not know them. [3.] He therefore runs up all the streams of actual transgression to the fountain of original corruption. The source of all the folly and madness that are in the world is in man's apostasy from God and his degeneracy from his primitive rectitude (v. 20): "Lo, this only have I found; when I could not find out the particulars, yet the gross account was manifest enough; it is as clear as the sun that man is corrupted and revolted, and is not as he was made." Observe, First, How man was made by the wisdom and goodness of God: God made man upright; Adam the first man, so the Chaldee. God made him, and he made him upright, such a one as he should be; being made a rational creature, he was, in all respects, such a one as a rational creature should be, upright, without any irregularity; one could find no fault in him; he was upright, that is, determined to God only, in opposition to the many inventions which he afterwards turned aside to. Man, as he came out of God's hands, was (as we may say) a little picture of his Maker, who is good and upright. Secondly, How he was marred, and in effect unmade, by his own folly and badness: They have sought out many inventions—they, our first parents, or the whole race, all in general and every one in particular. They have sought out great inventions (so some), inventions to become great as gods (Gen. iii. 5), or the inventions of the great ones (so some), of the angels that fell, the Magnates, or many inventions. Man, instead of resting in what God had found for him, was for seeking to better himself, like the prodigal that left his father's house to seek his fortune. Instead of being for one, he was for many; instead of being for God's institutions, he was for his own inventions. The law of his creation would not hold him, but he would be at his own disposal and follow his own sentiments and inclinations. Vain man would be wise, wiser than his Maker; he is giddy and unsettled in his pursuits, and therefore has many inventions. Those that forsake God wander endlessly. Men's actual transgressions are multiplied. Solomon could not find out how many they are (v. 28); but he found they were very many. Many kinds of sins, and those often repeated. They are more than the hairs on our heads, Ps. xl. 12.

CHAP. VII. Verſ. 1. A good name is better than precious ointment.

YEa, than great riches, Prov. 22.1. See the Note. The initial letter of the Hebrew word for Good here, is bigger than ordinary;& Majuſculum. to ſhew the more than ordinary excellency of a good name and fame amongſt men. If whatſoever David doth doth pleaſe the people,Rom. 1.2 if Mary Magdalens coſt upon Chriſt bee well ſpoken of in all the Churches, if the Romans Faith bee famous throughout the whole world, if Demetrius have a good report of all good men, and St. John ſet his ſeal to it: this muſt needs bee better than precious ointments; the one being but a perfume of the noſtrils, the other of the heart: Sweet ointment, olfactum afficit, ſpiritum reficit, cerebrum juvat, affects the ſmell, refreſheth the ſpirit, comforts the brain: A good name doth all this and more. For,

Firſt, As a fragrant ſcent, it affects the ſoul, amidſt the ſtench of evil [illegible: 2 pages] courſes and companies: It is as a freſh gale of ſweet air to him that lives (as Noah did) among ſuch as are no better than walking dunghills, and living ſepulchres of themſelves, ſtinking much more worſe than Lazarus did, after hee had lain four daies in the grave. A good name preſerveth the ſoul as a Pomander, and refreſheth it more than musk or civil doth the body.

Secondly, It comforts the conſcience, and exhilatates the heart; cheers up the mind amidſt all diſcouragements, and fatteth the bones, Prov. 15.30. doing a man good, like a medicine. And whereas ſweet ointments may bee corrupted by dead flies, a good name, proceeding from a good conſcience, cannot bee ſo. Fly blown it may bee for a ſeaſon, and ſomewhat obſcured: but as the Moon wades out of a cloud, ſo ſhall the Saints innocency break forth as the light, and their righteouſneſs as the noon-day, Pſal. 37.6. Buried it may beee in the open ſepulchres of evil throats, but it ſhall ſurely riſe again: A Reſurrection there ſhall bee of names, as well as of bodies at the laſt day, at utmoſt. But uſually a good name comforts a Chriſtian at his death, and continues after it. For though the name of the wicked ſhall rot, his lamp ſhall bee put out in obſcurity, and leave a vile ſnuff behinde it, yet the righteous ſhall bee had in everlaſting remembrance, they ſhall leave their names for a bleſſing, Iſa. 65.15.

And the day of death, than the day of ones birth] The Greeks call a mans birth-day, [non-Latin text not transcribed], the beginning of his Nativity, they call the begetting of his miſery. Man that is born of a woman, is born to trouble, ſaith Job, chap. 14.1. The word there rendred Born, ſignifieth alſo generated or conceived: to note that man is miſerable, even ſo ſoon as hee is warm in the womb, as David hath it, Pſal. 51.5. If hee lives to ſee the light, hee comes crying into the world,Ad Marc. cap. 11. a flet is vitam anſpicatur, ſaith Seneca: Inſomuch as the Lawyers defined [illegible: 1 word] by crying, and a ſtill-born childe is all one as dead in Law. Onely Zo[illegible: 2 letters]ſta[illegible: 1 letter] is ſaid to have been born laughing; but that laughter was both monſtrous and ominous.Juſtin. lib. 1. For hee firſt found out the black Art, which yet profited him not ſo far as to the vain felicity of this preſent life. For being King) of the Bactrians, hee was overcome and ſlain in battel by Ninus King of the Aſſyrians. St. Auſtin, who relates this ſtory, ſaith of mans firſt entrance into the world, Nondum loquitur, & tamen prophetat, Ere ever a childe ſpeaks, hee propheſies, by his tears, of his enſuing ſorrows. Nec prius natus, quam damnat no, No ſooner is hee born, but hee is condemned to the Mines or Gallies as it were of ſin and ſuffering. Hence Solomon here prefers his Coffin before his Cradle. And there was ſome truth in that ſaying of the Heathen, Optimum eſt non naſci, proximum quam celorrime mori. For wicked men it had been beſt not to have been born, or being born, to dye quickly; ſith by living long they heap up firſt ſin, and then wrath againſt the day of wrath. As for good men, there is no doubt but the day of death is beſt to them, becauſe it is the day-break of Eternal Righteouſneſs: and after a ſhort brightneſs, as that Martyr ſaid, gives them, Malorum ademptionem, bonorum ademptionem, freedome from all evil, fruition of all good. Hence the antient Fathers called thoſe daies wherein the Martyrs ſuffered, their birth-daies; becauſe then they began to live indeed: ſith here to live is but to lye a dying. Eternal life is the onely true life, ſaith Auſtin.

Verſ. 2. It is better to go to the houſe of mourning] To the terming-houſe (as they term it) where a dead corps is laid forth for burial, and in that reſpect weeping and wailing, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. which is one of the dues of the dead, whoſe bodies are ſown in corruption, and watered uſually with tears. It is better therefore to ſort with ſuch, to mingle with mourners, to follow the Herſe, to weep with thoſe that weep, to viſit the heavy-hearted (this being a ſpecial means of mortification) than to go to the houſe of feaſting, where is nothing but joy and jollity, ſlaying Oxen, and killing Sheep, eating Fleſh, and drinking Wine, yea therefore eating and drinking, becauſe to morrow they ſhall dye. Ede, Sardanapali vox belluina. bibe, lude, poſt mortem nulla voluptas. What good can bee gotten amongſt ſuch ſwiniſh Epicures? What ſound remedy againſt lifes vanity? It is far better therefore to go to the houſe of mourning, where a man may bee moved with compaſſion, with compunction, with due and deep conſideration of his doleful and dying condition; where hee may hear dead Abel by a dumb eloquence preaching and preſſing this neceſſary, but much neglected leſſon, that this is the end of all men, and the living ſhould lay it to heart, or (as the Hebrew hath it) lay it upon his heart, work it upon his affections, inditurus eſt illud animo ſuo, ſo Tremelius renders it, hee will ſo minde it,Job 30.33 Pſal. 39.4, 5 as to make his beſt uſe of it, ſo as to ſay with Job, I know that thou wilt bring mee unto death. And with David, Behold, thou haſt made my daies as a ſpan, &c. And as Moſes, who when hee ſaw the peoples carkaſſes fall ſo faſt in the wilderneſs, Lord teach us, ſaid hee, ſo to number our daies, Pſal. 90.12 as to cauſe our hearts (of themſelves never a whit willing) to come to wiſdome.

Verſ. 3. Sorrow is better than laughter] Here (as likewiſe in the two former verſes) is a collation, and praelation, Sorrow or indignation conceived for ſin, is better than laughter, i. e. carnal and prophane mitth. This is [non-Latin text not transcribed], as Nazianzen ſpeaks in another caſe, a Paradox to the world, but ſuch as may ſooner and better bee proved than thoſe Paradoxes of the antient Stoicks. The world is a perfect ſtranger to the truth of this ſacred poſition, as being all ſet upon the merry Pin, and having ſo far baniſhed ſadneſs, as that they are no leſs enemies to ſeriouſneſs, than the old Romans were to the name of the Tarquins. Theſe Philiſtins cannot ſee how out of this Eater can come Meat, and out of this Strong, Sweet; how any man ſhould reaſonably perſwade them to turn their laughter into mourning, and joy into heavineſs, James 4.9. A pound of grief, ſay they, will not pay an ounce of debt, a little mirth is worth a great deal of ſorrow; there is nothing better than for a man to eat and drink, and laugh himſelf fat: Spiritus Calvinianus, Spiritus Melancholicus (a Popiſh Proverb) to bee preciſe and godly, is to bid adue to all mirth and jollity, and to ſpend his daies in heavineſs and horrour. This is the judgement of the mad world, ever beſide it ſelf in point of Salvation. But what ſaith our Preacher, who had the experience of both, and could beſt tell? Sorrow is better, for it makes the heart better; It betters the better part; and is therefore compared to fire, that purgeth out the droſs of ſin, to water, that waſheth out the dreggs of ſin, yea, to eye-water, ſharp, but ſoveraign. By waſhing in theſe troubled waters, the conſcience is cured, and Gods Naamans cleanſed. By feeding upon this bitter-ſweet root, Gods penitentiaries are fenced againſt the temptations of Satan, the corruption of their own hearts, and the allurements of this preſent evil world. Theſe tears drive away the Devil much better than Holy-water, as they called it; they quench Hell flames, and as April ſhowers, they bring on a man the May-flowers, both of grace, 1 Pet. 5.5. and of glory, Jer. 4.14. What an ill match therefore make our Mirth-mongers, that purchaſe laughter many times with ſhame, loſs, miſery, beggery, rottenneſs of body, diſtreſs, damnation, that hunt after it to Hell, and light a candle at the Devil for lightſomeneſs of heart, by haunting Ale-houſes, Brothel-houſes, conventicles of good fellowſhip, ſinful and unſeaſonable ſports, and other vain fooleries, in the froth whereof is bred and fed that worm that never dies? A man is neareſt danger, when hee is moſt merry, ſaid Mr. Greenham. And, God caſt not man out of Paradiſe, (ſaith another Reverend Man) that hee might here build him another; but that, as that bird of Paradiſe, hee might alwaies bee upon the wing, and if at any time taken, never leave groaning and grieving till hee bee delivered. This will bring him a Paradiſe of ſweeteſt peace, and make much for the lengthening of his tranquillity and conſolation, Dan. 4.27. Oh how ſweet a thing is it, at the feet of Jeſus, to ſtand weeping, to water them with tears, to dry them with ſighs, and to kiſs them with our mouths! Onely thoſe that have made their eyes a fountain to waſh Chriſts feet in, may look to have Chriſts heart a fountain to bathe their ſouls in.

Verſ. 4. The heart of the wiſe is in the houſe of mourning] Hee gladly makes uſe of all good means of minding his mortality; and holds it an high point of heavenly wiſdome, ſo to do. Hence hee frequents funerals, mingles with mourners,Monimenta quaſi mentem momentia. hears etiam muta clamare cadavera, makes every tomb a teacher, every Monument a Monitor, laies him down in his bed, as in his grave, looks upon his ſheets, as his winding-ſheet. Ut ſomnus mortis, ſic lectus imago ſepulchri. If hee hears but the clock ſtrike, ſees the glaſs run out, it is as a Death-head to preach Momento mori to him; hee remembers the daies of darkneſs, as Solomon bids, Eccleſ. 11.8. acts death aforehand, takes up many ſad and ſerious thoughts of it, and makes it his continual practice ſo to do, as Job and David did. The wiſer Jews digged their graves long before, as that old Prophet, 1 King. 13.30. Joſeph of Arimathea had his in his garden, to ſeaſon his delights. John Patriarch of Alexandria, (ſirnamed Eleemoſynarius for his bounty to the poor) having his tomb in building, gave his people charge it ſhould bee left unfiniſhed, and that every day one ſhould put him in minde to perfect it, that hee might remember his mortality. The Chriſtians in ſome part of the Primitive Church, took the Sacrament every day, becauſe they looked to dye every day. Auſtin would not for the gain of a million of worlds bee an Atheiſt for half an hour,Quid hic facio? Aug. Deſcript. of the Iſle of Man abbridg. Ariſt. becauſe hee had no certainty of his life for ſo ſhort a time. His Mother Monica was heard oft to ſay, How is it that I am here ſtill? The women of the Iſle of Man (ſaith Speed) whenſoever they go out of their doors, gird themſelves about with the winding ſheet that they purpoſe to bee buried in, to ſhew themſelves mindful of their mortality. The Philoſopher affirms, that man is therefore the wiſeſt of creatures, becauſe hee alone can number. Bruta non numerant: this is an eſſential difference;Pſal. 90.12 but eſpecially in that divine Arithmetick of ſo numbring his daies, as to apply his heart to wiſdome. This ſpeaks him wiſe indeed, right in his judgement, right alſo in his affections: This will render him right in his practice too;Pauperes de Lugduno. as it did Waldus the Merchant of Lions; who ſeeing one ſuddenly fall down dead before him, became a new man, and chief of thoſe old Proteſtants, the poor men of Lions, called alſo Waldenſes from this Waldus.

Prov. But the heart of fools is in the houſe of mirth] See the Note one verſe 3. As the heart of the wicked is light, and little worth, ſo it is their trade to hunt after lying vanities (as the childe doth after Butter-flies) to rejoyce in a thing of nothing, Amos 6.13. hee wilders away his time, either in weaving ſpiders webs, or hatching Cockatrice eggs, Iſa. 59.5. froth or filth ([non-Latin text not transcribed], Mark 7.22.) is their recreation. Sad and ſerious thoughts they baniſh; and therefore love not to bee alone. They hate to hear of that terrible word Death: as Lewis the eleventh of France commanded his ſervants not once to mention it to him, though hee lay upon his death-bed. They live and laugh, as if they were out of the reach of Gods Rod, or as if their lives were rivetted upon eternity. They can ſee death in other mens brows and viſages, not feel it in their own bowels and boſomes. When they behold any laid in their graves, they can ſhake their heads and ſay, This is it wee muſt all come to; but after a while all is forgotten: As water ſtirred with a ſtone caſt in to it, hath circle upon circle on the ſurface for preſent, but by and by all is ſmooth as before. As chickens in a ſtorm haſte to bee under the Hens wing; but, when that is a little over, they lye duſting themſelves again in the ſunſhine: So it is here. Good thoughts fall upon evil hearts, as ſparks upon wet tinder: or if they kindle there, fools bring their buckets to quench them, run into merry company to drink, or otherwiſe drive away thoſe troubleſome heart-qualms and melancholy dumps (as they call them.) This is to excel in madneſs, &c. See the Note on Prov. 10.23.

Verſ. 5. It is better to hear the rebuke of the wiſe] Sharp truth takes better with an honeſt heart, than a ſmooth ſupparaſitation. Seneca compares flattery to a ſong or ſymphony: but it is a Syrens ſong, and our ears muſt bee ſtopt to it: for like the poiſon of Aſps, it caſts one into a ſleep, but that ſleep is deadly. Thoſe that had the Sudor Anglicus or ſweating ſickneſs, died aſſuredly, if ſuffered to ſleep: thoſe then were their beſt friends that kept them waking, though haply they had no thank for it: So are wiſe and merciful reprovers. Faithful are theſe wounds of a friend, Prov. 7.26. See the Note there. David was full glad of them, Pſal. 141.5. So was Gerſon, who never took any thing more kindly (ſaith hee that writes his life) than to bee plainly dealt with. The Bee can ſuck ſweet hony out of bitter Thyme, yea out of poiſonous Hemlock: So can a wiſe man make benefit of his friends, nay of his enemies. It is good to have friends, (as the Oratour ſaid of Judges) modo audeant quo ſentiunt, ſo they dare deal freely: this an enemy will do for ſpite; and malice, though it bee an ill Judge, yet is a good Informer. Auſtin in an Epiſtle to Hierome, approves well of him that ſaid, there is more good to bee gotten by enemies railing, than friends flattering. Theſe ſing Satans lullaby, ſuch as caſts into a dead lethargy; and ſhould therefore bee ſerved as Alexander the Great ſerved a certain Philoſopher whom hee chaſed out of his preſence, and gave this reaſon, becauſe hee had lived long with him, and never reproved any vice in him, Or as the ſame Alexander dealt by Ariſtobulus the falſe Hiſtorian, who had written a book of his Noble Acts, and had magnified them beyond truth, hoping thereby to ingratiate and curry favour: Alexander having read the book, caſt it into the River Hydaſpes, Curt. and told the Author, it were a good deed to throw him after, Qui ſolus me ſic pugnantem facis.

Verſ. 6. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot] Much noiſe, little fire; much light, little heat: So here is much mirth, little cauſe; a blaze it may yeeld, but is ſuddenly extinct; this blaze is alſo under a pot; the gallantry of it is checkt with troubles and terrours, it is inſincere many times, it is but the hypocriſie of mirth, as one calls it. It is truly and trimly here compared to a handful of bruſhwood, or ſear thorn under the pot.Apul. Ecquando vidiſti flammam ſtipula exortam, claro ſtrepitu, largo fulgere, cito incremento, ſed enim materia levi, caduco incendio, nullis reliquiis, ſaith Apuleius: a very dainty deſcription of carnal joy, and agreeable to this text.Pſal. 58.9 And herewith alſo very well ſuits that of the Pſalmiſt, Before your pots can feel the thorns, hee ſhall take them away with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath: Fools themſelves are but thorns twiſted and folded together, Nahum 1.10. briers, Micah 7.4. brambles, Judg. 9.14. Their laughter is alſo fitly compared to thorns; becauſe it choaks good motions, ſcratcheth the conſcience, harbours the vermine of baſe and baggage luſts. And as themſelves (like thorns) ſhall bee thruſt away, and utterly burnt with fire in the ſame place, 2 Sam. 23.6. So their joy ſoon expireth, and proves to bee rather deſolation, than conſolation; as lightning is followed with rending and roaring; as Comets out-blaze the very ſtars, but when their exhaled matter is waſted, they vaniſh and fill the air with peſtilent vapours. The Prophet Amos telleth the wicked, that their Sun ſhall go down at noon-day, chap. 8.9. Surely as metals are then neareſt melting, when they ſhine brighteſt in the fire: and as the fiſhes ſwim merrily down the ſilver-ſtreams of Jordan, till they ſuddenly fall into the dead Sea, where preſently they periſh: So it fares with theſe merry Greeks, that flear when they ſhould fear, and laugh when they ſhould lament.Luk. 6.25 Pſal. 118.1[illegible: 1 letter] Woe to you that laugh, ſaith Chriſt: How ſuddenly are they put out as the fire of thorns!

Verſ. 7. Surely oppreſſion maketh a wiſe man mad] viz. Till ſuch time as hee hath recollected himſelf, and ſummoned the ſobriety of his ſenſes before his own judgement: till hee hath reaſoned himſelf, and prayed himſelf out of his diſtemper, as David did, Pſal. 73. Anger is a ſhort madneſs, fury a phrenſie; and who ſo apprehenſive of an injury, as the wiſe man? and who ſo wiſe, as not ſometimes to bee over-carried by his paſſion to his coſt? Oppreſſion may expreſs that from the meekeſt Moſes, that hee may ſorely repent, but knows not how to remedy. Anger anteverts reaſon in the wiſeſt ſometimes, and eſpecially in caſe of calumny (for the eye and the good name will bear no jeaſts, as the Proverb hath it) A man can better bear a thultch on the back, than a touch on the eye. You ſhall finde ſome, ſaith Eraſmus, that if death bee threatned, can deſpiſe it: but to bee belyed, they cannot brook, nor from revenge contain themſelves. How could wee digeſt that calumny (might Eraſmus well think then) that hee baſely caſts upon our Profeſſion in his Epiſtle to Bilihaldus? Ubicunque regnat Lutherns, ibi literarum eſt interitus: duo tantum quaerunt, cenſum, & uxorem. Whereſoever Luther prevails, learning goes down; wealth and wives is all they look after. How ill himſelf, with all his wiſdome, could endure this kinde of oppreſſion, appears by his Hyperaſpiſtes, and many other his Apologies (for by his playing on both hands,Amama in Antibarb. praefat. Nec Evangelicorum vitavit cenſuras, nec apud Epiſcopos & Monachos gratiam inivit, hee was beaten on both ſides, which made him little leſs than mad; and it was but juſt upon him. Davids grief was, that his enemies traduced and abuſed him without cauſe. Job and Jeremy make the ſame complaint, and were much troubled. Defamations, they knew well, do uſually leave a kinde of lower eſtimation many times, even where they are not beleeved. Hence Paul's Apologies and ſelf-commendation, even to ſuſpition of madneſs almoſt.Calumniare audacter, aliquid ſaltem adhaerebit. Hence Baſil in an Epiſtle ad Boſphorum Epiſcop: Quo putas animum meum dolore affecit fama calumnia illius quam mihi offuderunt quidam, non metuentes Judicem perditurum omnes loquentes mendacium? Tanto videlicet ut prope totam noctem inſomnem duxerim, &c. with what grief doſt thou think (ſaith Hee) did that calumny oppreſs my mind, which ſome (not fearing the Judge, that ſhall deſtroy all them that ſpeak lies) did caſt upon mee? Even ſo much, that I ſlept not almoſt all the night; ſo had the apprehended ſadneſs poſſeſſed the ſecrets of mine heart, &c.

And a gift deſtroyeth the heart] i. e. Corrupts it, makes it blinde; and ſo deſtroies it:Pliny. as the Eagle lights upon the Harts horns, flutters duſt in his eyes, and ſo by blinding him, brings him to deſtruction. See Deut. 16.19. with the Note. Let a Judge bee both wiſe (for his underſtanding) and righteous (for his will) a gift will mar all, as it is there: it dazleth the eyes, and maketh a wiſe man mad.

Verſ. 8. Better is the end of a thing, than the beginning] No right judgement can bee made of any thing, unleſs wee can ſee the end of it. God ſeems oft to go a contrary way to work; but by that time both ends bee brought together, all is as it ſhould bee, and it appears that hee doth all things in number, weight and meaſure.Acts and Mon. fol. 1377. Wee may learn (ſaid Mr. Hooper Martyr in a certain letter exhorting to patience) by things that nouriſh and maintain us, both meat and drink, to what loathſome and abhorring they come unto, before they work their perfection in us; From life they bee brought to the fire; and clean altered from what they were, when they were alive: from the fire to the trencher and knife, and all to bee hacked; from the trencher to the mouth, and as ſmall ground as the teeth can grinde them; from the mouth into the ſtomach, and there ſo boiled and digeſted before they nouriſh, that whoſoever ſaw the ſame would loathe and adhor his own nouriſhment, till it come to perfection. But as a man looketh for the nouriſhment of his meat, when it is full digeſted, and not before, ſo muſt hee look for deliverance when hee hath ſuffered much trouble, and for Salvation when hee hath paſſed thorow the ſtraight gate, &c. Let the wiſe man look to the end, and to the right which in the end God will do him, in the deſtruction of his oppreſſours; and this will patient his heart, and heal his diſtemper. Wee have heard of the patience of Job, Job 5. and what end the Lord made with him. Bee yee alſo patient, you ſhall ſhortly have help, if yee hold out waiting. Mark the upright man, and behold the juſt, for (whatever his beginning or his middle bee) the end of that man is peace, Pſal. 37.37. Onely hee muſt hold out Faith and Patience; and not fall off from good beginnings; for as the evening crowneth the day, and as the grace of an Interlude, is in the laſt Scene; ſo it is conſtancy that crowneth all graces, and hee onely that continueth to the end, that ſhall bee ſaved. Laban was very kinde at firſt, but hee ſhewed himſelf at parting. Sauls three firſt years were good. Judas carried himſelf fair, uſque ad loculorum officium, ſaith Tertullian, till the bag was committed to him. Many ſet out for Heaven wi[illegible: 1 letter]h as much ſeeming reſolution, as Lots wife did out of Sodom; as Orphah did out of Moab; as the young man in the Goſpel came to Chriſt. But after a while they fall away, they ſtumble at the croſs, and fall backwards. Now to ſuch it may well bee ſaid, The end is better than the beginning. Better it had been for ſuch never to have known the way of God, &c. Chriſt loves no lookers back: See how hee thunders againſt them, Heb. 10.26, 27, 38, 39. So doth St. Paul againſt the Galatians, becauſe they did run well, but lying down in that heat, they caught a ſurfeit, and fell into a conſumption.

And the patient in ſpirit is better than the proud, &c.] Pride is the Mother of impatiency, as infidelity is of pride. The just ſhall live by Faith, live upon promiſes, reverſions, hopes, wait deliverance, or want it, if God will have it ſo. But his ſoul, which (for want of Faith to ballaſt it) is lifted up, and ſo preſumes to ſet God a time wherein to come or never come, 2 King. 6.33. is not upright in him: ſome things hee doth, as it were a mad man, not knowing, or greatly caring what hee doth, ſaith Gregory. Hee frets at God,Greg. Paſtor. and rails at men, laies about him on all hands, and never ceaſeth, till in that diſtemperature hee depart the world, which ſo oftentimes himſelf had diſtempered,Daniel. as the Chronicler concludes the life of our Henry the ſecond.

Verſ. 9. Bee not haſty in thy Spirit to bee angry] The haſty man (wee ſay) never wants woe. For wrath is an evil counſellour, and inwrappeth a man in manifold troubles, miſchiefs and miſeries. It makes man alike the Bee (that vindictive creature) which to bee revenged, loſeth her ſting, and becomes a drone: or like Tamar, who to bee even with her Father in Law, defiled him and her ſelf with inceſt. Ceaſe therefore from anger, and forſake wrath: fret not thy ſelf in any wiſe to do evil, Pſal. 37.8. Athenodorus counſelled Auguſtus to determine nothing raſhly, when hee was angry, till hee had repeated the Greek Alphabet. Ambroſe taught Theodoſius, in that caſe, to repeat the Lords Prayer. What a ſhame is it to ſee a Chriſtian act like Hercules furens, or like Solomons fool, that caſts fire-brands, or as that Demoniack, Mark 2.3. out of meaſure fierce? That Demoniack was among the tombs, but theſe are among the living, and moleſt thoſe moſt, that are neareſt to them.

For anger reſteth in the boſome of fools] Ruſh it may into a wiſe mans boſome, but not reſt there, lodge there, dwell there. And onely where it dwells, it domineers, and that is onely, where a fool is Maſter of the family. Thunder, hail, tempeſt, neither trouble nor hurt celeſtial bodies. See that the Sun go not down upon this evil gueſt; ſee that the ſoul bee not ſowred or impured with it; for anger corrupts the heart, as leaven doth the lump,Aug. Epiſt. 87. or vinegar the veſſel, wherein it doth continue.

Verſ. 10. Say not thou, What is the cauſe? Granger. &c.] This (ſaith an Interpreter) is the continual complaint of the wicked moody, and the wicked needy. The moody Papiſts would murder all the godly; for they bee Canaanites and Hagarens. The needy prophane would murther all the rich, for they are Lions in the grate. Thus Hee. It is the manner and humour of too many (ſaith another) who would bee thought wiſe,Dr. Jermin. to condemn the times in an impatient diſcontentment againſt them, eſpecially if themſelves do not thrive, or bee not favoured in the times, as they deſire, and as they think they ſhould bee. And theſe malecontents are commonly great Queſtioniſts, What is the cauſe? ſay they, &c. It might bee anſwered, In promptu cauſa eſt, Themſelves are the cauſe; for the times are therefore the worſe, becauſe they are no better. Hard hearts make hard times. But the Preacher anſwers better, Thou doſt not wiſely enquire concerning this, q. d. The Objection is idle, and once to have recited it, is enough to have confuted it. Oh if wee had been in the daies of our Fore-Fathers (ſaid thoſe hypocrites, Matth. 23.30.) great buſineſs would have been done; I, no doubt of it, ſaith our Saviour, when as you fill up the meaſure of your Fathers ſins, and are every whit as good at reſiſting of the Holy Ghoſt, as they were, Act. 7.51. Or if there were any good heretofore more than is now, it may bee ſaid of theſe Wiſe fools, as it was antiently of Demoſthenes, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Plutarch. that he was excellent at praiſing the worthy acts of Anceſtours, not ſo at imitating of them. In all ages of the world, there were complaints of the times, and not altogether without cauſe. Henoch the ſeventh from Adam complained, ſo did Noah, Lot, Moſes, and the Prophets, Chriſt the Arch-Prophet, and all his Apoſtles, the Primitive Fathers and Profeſſors of the truth. The common cry ever was O tempora! O mores! Num Eccleſias ſuat dereliquit Dominus? ſaid Baſil, Hath the Lord utterly left his Church? Is it now the laſt hour? Father Latimer ſaw ſo much wickedneſs in his days, that he thought it could not be, but that Chriſt muſt come to Judgement immediately: like as Elmerius a Monk of Malmesbury from the ſame ground gathered the certainty of Antichriſts preſent reign. What pitiful complaints make Bernard, Bradwardine, Everard Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury (who wrote a Volume called Objurgatorium temporis, the rebuke of the time) Petrarch, Mantuan, Savanarola, &c? In the time of Pope Clement 5. Frederick King of Sicily was ſo farre offended at the ill government of the Church, that he called into queſtion the truth of the Chriſtian Religion, till hee was better reſolved and ſetled in the point by Arnoldus de Villa nova, Rev. de vit. Pont. who ſhewed him, that it was long ſince fore-told of theſe laſt and looſeſt times, that iniquity ſhould abound, that men ſhould bee proud, lewd, heady, high-minded, &c. 1 Tim. 4.1. & 2 Tim. 3.1, 2, 3, 4. Lay aſide therefore theſe frivolous enquiries, and diſcontented cryings out againſt the times, which (in ſome ſenſe) reflect upon God the Author of times (for can there be evil in an Age, and hee hath not done it?) and bleſſing God for our Goſpel-priviledges, (which indeed ſhould drown all our diſcontents) let every one mend one, and then let the world run its circuits, take its courſe, Vadat mundus quo vult: nam vult vadere quo vult, ſaith Luther bluntly, Let the world goe which way it will: for it will goe which way it will: The thing that hath been is that which ſhall be,Hieronym. &c. Eccleſ. 2.9, 10. Tu ſic debes vivere, ut ſemper praeſentes dies meliores tibi ſinc quum praeteriti, ſaith a Father, Thou ſhouldeſt ſo live, that thy laſt dayes may be thy beſt dayes, and the time preſent better to thee, than the by-paſt was to thoſe that then lived.

Ʋtilior eſt ſapientia cum divitiis: So the Septu. here. In vit.Verſ. 11. Wiſdome is good with an inheritance] So is it without it: but not ſo good, becauſe wealth is both an ornament, an inſtrument, and an encouragement to wiſdome. Ariſtides (ſaith Plutarch) ſlandered and made juſtice odious by his poverty: as if it were a thing that made men poor, and were more profitable to others, than to himſelf that uſeth it. God will not have wealth always entailed to wiſdome, that wiſdome may bee admired for it ſelf; and that it may appear, that the love and ſervice of the Saints is not mercenary and meretricious. But godlineſs hath the promiſes of both lives. And the righteous ſhall leave inheritance to his childrens children. Or if he doe not ſo, yet he ſhall leave them a better thing: for by wiſdome (abſtracted from wealth) there is profit, 1 Cor. 12.31 or, it is more excellent or better (as the Hebrew word ſignifies) as the Apoſtle in another caſe, And yet ſhew I you a more excellent way, viz. that graces are better than gifts: So here, that wiſdome is better than wealth. And if Jacob may ſee his children the work of Gods hands, framed and fitted by the word of Gods grace (the wiſdome of God in a myſtery) this would better preſerve him from confuſion,Pſal. 45. and his face from waxing pale, than if hee could make his children Princes in all lands; yea, this will make him to ſanctifie Gods name, yea, to ſanctifie the Holy One, and with ſingular encouragement from the God of Iſrael, Eſay 29.22, 23.

Verſ. 12. For wiſdome is a defence, and money, &c.] Heb. a ſhadow, viz. to thoſe that have ſeen the Sun, (as in the former verſe) and are ſcorched with the heat of it, that are under the miſeries and moleſtations of life: Wiſdome in this caſe is a wall of defence, and a well of life: Money alſo is a thorn-hedge, of very good uſe. Job 1.10. ſo it be ſet without the affections, and get not into the heart, as the Phariſees [non-Latin text not transcribed] did, Luk. 11.41. their riches were got within them, and by choaking the ſeed, kept wiſdome out.

Wiſdome giveth life to them that have it] For God is both a Sun, and a ſhield or ſhadow, he will give grace and glory, &c. Pſal. 84.11. Life in any ſenſe is a ſweet mercy; but the life of grace and of glory may well challenge the precellency: No marvel therefore though wiſdome bear away the bell from wealth, which as it ſerves only to the uſes of life natural; ſo being miſuſed, it drowns many a ſoul in perdition and deſtruction, 1 Tim. 6.9. and proves the root of all evil, ch. 16.10. yea it taketh away the life of the owner thereof, Prov. 1.19. See the Note there. It is confeſſed, that wealth ſometimes giveth life to them that have it, as it did to thoſe ten Jewes that had treaſures in the field, Jer. 41.8. and doth to thoſe condemned men that can take a leaſe of their lives. But Nabals wealth had undone him, if Abigails wiſdome had not interpoſed: And in the other life, money bears no maſtery. Adam had it not in Paradiſe, and in Heaven there is no need of it.

Verſ. 13. Conſider the work of God, &c.] q. d. Stoop, ſith there is no ſtanding out. See God in that thou ſuffereſt, and ſubmit. God by a crooked tool many times makes ſtraight work; he avengeth the quarrel of his Covenant by the Aſſyrian that rod of Gods wrath, though hee thinks not ſo, Eſay 10.7. Job could diſcern Gods arrows in Satans hand, and Gods hand on the Armes of the Sabcan robbers. He it is that killeth and maketh alive, ſaith holy Hannah, he maketh poor and maketh rich, hee bringeth low and lifteth up, 1 Sam. 2.6, 7. All is done according to the counſel of his will; who as he may doe what he pleaſes, ſo he will be ſure never to over-doe: his holy hand ſhall never bee further ſtretched out to ſmite, than to ſave, Eſay 59.1. This made David dumb, for he knew it was Gods doing. It is the Lord, ſaid Eli, let him doe, Pſal. 39. 1 Sam. 3.18 and I will ſuffer, leſt I adde paſſive diſobedience to active. Aaron his Predeceſſor had done the like before him upon the ſame conſideration, in the untimely end of his untowardly children, Levit. 10.3. Jacob likewiſe in the rape of Dinah, Gen. 34.5. Agnovit hand dubie ferulam divinam, ſaith Pareus on that text, hee conſidered the work of God in it, and that it was in vain for him to ſeek to make that ſtraight which God had made crooked. There is no ſtanding before a Lion, no hoyſing up ſayl in a tempeſt, no contending with the Almighty. Whoever waxed fierce againſt God and proſpered? Job 9.4. Who ever got any thing by kicking againſt the pricks, by biting the rod which they ſhould rather have kiſſed? See Eſay 14.27. Job 9.12, 13. & 34.12.10. Set God before your paſſions, when they are up in a hurry, and all will bee huſht. Set down proud fleſh when it buſtles and briſtles under Gods fatherly chaſtiſements, and ſay ſoberly to your ſelves; ſhall I not drink of the cup that my Father (who is alſo my Phyſician) hath put into mine hands? ſtand under the croſs that he hath laid on my ſhoulders? ſtoop unto the yoke that he hangeth on my neck? Drink off Gods cup willingly (ſaid Mr. Bradford the Martyr) and at firſt when it is full, leſt if we linger wee drink at length of the dregs with the wicked. Ferre minora volo, ne graviora feram. That was a very good ſaying of Demoſthenes (who was ever better at praiſing of vertue than at practiſing of it) good men ſhould ever doe the beſt, and then hope the beſt. But if any thing happen worſe than was hoped for, let that which God will have done, be born with patience.

Verſ. 14. In the day of proſperity be joyful] Here wee have ſome fair days, ſome foul: croſſes (like foul weather) come afore they are ſent for; for as fair weather (the more is the pity) may doe hurt, ſo may proſpenity, as it did to David, Pſal. 30.6. who therefore had his interchanges of a worſe condition, (as it was but needful) his proſperity like checker-work was intermingled with adverſity. See the circle God goes in with his people,Circulus quidem eſt in rebus humanis. Deus nos per contraria crudit. Naz. Orat. 7. in that thirtieth Pſalm, David was afflicted, verſ. 5. hee was delivered and grew wanton. Then troubled again, verſ. 7. cries again, 8, 9 God turns his mourning into joy again. Thus God ſets the one againſt the other, as it were in aequilibrio, in even balance for our greateſt good. Sometimes he weighes us in the balance; and findes us too light: Then he thinks beſt to make us heavie through manifold temptations, 1 Pet. 1.6. Sometimes hee findes our water ſomewhat too high, and then as a Phyſician no leſs cunning than loving, he fits us with that which will reduce all to the healthſome temper of a broken ſpirit. But if wee bee but proſperity-proof, there is no ſuch danger of adverſity. Some of thoſe in Queen Maries dayes, who kept their garments cloſe about them, wore them afterwards more looſely. Proſperity makes the Saints ruſt ſometimes; therfore God ſets his Scullions to ſcoure them & make them bright, though they make themſelves black. This ſcouring if they will ſcape, let Solomons counſel be taken, In the day of proſperity be joyful, i. e. ſerve God with cheerfulneſs in the abundance of all things; and reckon upon it, the more wages the more work: Is it not good reaſon? Solomons Altar was four times as big as Moſes his; and Ezekiels Temple ten times bigger than Solomons; to teach, that where God gives much, he expects much. Otherwiſe God will curſe our bleſſings,Jer. 12.13 Mal. 2.2. Make us aſhamed of our revenues through his fierce anger, and deſtroy us after he hath done us good, Joſh. 24.20.

In the day of adverſity conſider] Sit alone, and be in meditation of the matter,Pſal. 4.4 Lam. 3.28. commune with your own conſciences and be ſtill, or make a pauſe. See who it is that ſmites thee, and for what, Lam. 3.40. Take Gods part againſt thy ſelf, as a Phyſician obſerves, which way nature works, and helps it. Conſider, that God afflicts not willingly, or from his heart; it goes as much againſt the heart with him,Pſal. 119.75 as againſt the hair with us, Lam. 3.33. Hee is forced of very faithfulneſſe to afflict us, becauſe hee will be true to our ſouls and ſave them: he is forced to diet us, who have ſurfeted of proſperity, and keep us ſhort. He is forced to purge us (as wiſe Phyſicians doe ſome Patients) till he bring us almoſt to skin and bone; and to let us bloud even ad deliquium animae, till we ſwoon again, that there may bee a ſpring of better bloud and ſpirits. Conſider of all thoſe precious paſſages, Heb. 12.3. to 12. and then lift up the languiſhing hands, and feeble knees. For your further help herein, read my Treatiſe called Gods Love-tokens, and The afflicted mans Leſſons, paſſim.

Verſ. 15. All things have I ſeen in the dayes of my vanity] i. e. of my life, which is ſo very a vanity, that no man can perfectly deſcribe it, or directly tell what it is. He came ſomewhat near the matter, that ſaid, it was a ſpot of time betwixt two eternities.

There is a juſt man that periſheth in his righteouſneſſe] The firſt man that dyed, dyed for Religion. How early did Martyrdome come into the world? How valiant for the truth, and violent for the Kingdome have Gods ſuffering Saints been ever ſince, preferring affliction before ſin, and chooſing rather to periſh in their righteouſneſs, than to part with it? Ignatius triumphed in his voyage to Rome to ſuffer, to think that his bloud ſhould be found among the mighty Worthies; and that when the Lord makes inquiſition for bloud, hee will recount from the bloud of righteous Abel, not only to the bloud of Zacharias ſon of Barachias, but alſo to the bloud of mean Ignatius. Bleſſed are they that are perſecuted for righteouſneſs ſake,See the Note there. Mat. 5.10.

And there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life] This (as the former event likewiſe) proves a great ſtumbling-block to many: to ſee good men periſh, bad men flouriſh and live long in ſin, with impunity, credit, and countenance, as Manaſſeh (that Monſter of men) who reigned longeſt of any King of Judah. Jeroboam lived to ſee three Succeſſions in the Throne of Judah. Thus the Ivie lives, when the Oake is dead. David George (that odious Heretick) lived to a great age, and dyed in peace and plenty. Anne Stanhop Dutcheſſe of Somerſet (Wife of the Protector Edw. Seymor) after ſhe had raiſed ſuch Tragedies about precedency with Queen Katherine, Camd. Eliz. fol. 356. and cauſed the ruine of her Husband, and his Brother the Admiral, dyed Anno 1587. being ninety nine years of age. Length of dayes is no ſure rule of Gods favour. As Plants laſt longer than Senſitive Creatures,Ut victimae ad ſupplicium ſaginantur, ut hoſtiae ad poenam co[illegible: 1 letter]o nantur. Mi[illegible: 1 letter].-Foelix. and Brute Creatures out-live the reaſonable; ſo amongſt the reaſonable, it is no news (neither ſhould it trouble us) that the wickedly great doe inherit theſe worldly glories longer than the beſt; It is all they are like to have, let them make them merry with it. Some wicked men live long, that they may aggravate their judgement: others dye ſooner, that they may haſten it.

Verſ. 16. Bee not righteous over much, neither make, &c.] Virtue conſiſts in a mediocrity. Omne quod eſt nimium. vertitur in vicium. Eſt modus in rebus. Phil. 4.5. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. A rigid ſeverity may mar all. Let your moderation bee known to all men, prefer equity before extremity: utmoſt right may bee utmoſt wrong. Hee is righteous over-much, that will remit nothing of his right, but exerciſe great cenſures for light offences: this is (as one ſaid) to kill a fly upon a mans forehead with a beetle. Juſtice, if not mixed with mercy, degenerates into cruelty. Again, hee is righteous more than is meee, that maketh ſins where God hath made none; as thoſe ſuperſtitioſuli of old, and the Papiſts at this day do with their Touch not, Taſte not, handle not: Which things have indeed a ſhew of wiſdome in will-worſhip, &c. Col. 2.21, 23. Will-worſhippers are uſually over-wiſe, i. e. over-weening, and too too well conceited of their own wiſdome and worth.Quiſquis plus juſto non ſapit, ille ſapit. Mart. Hence it is, that they cannot do, but they muſt over-do, till wearied in the greatneſs of their way, Iſa. 57.10. they ſee and ſay that it had been beſt to have held the Kings high-way, chalked out unto them by the royal Law, James 2.8. that perfect Law of liberty, James 1.25. Via regia temperata eſt, Hieron. in cap. 57 Iſa. nec plus in ſe habons, nec minus. The middle way is the way of God; neither having too much, nor yet too little.Cic. 2. de finib. True it is (ſaith the Heathen Oratour) that Nemo pius eſt qui pietatem caver, No man is godly that is afraid of being ſo: But then it is no leſs true (and the ſame Author ſpeaks it) Modum eſſe religionis, Cic. pro dem. ſua. Nihil minus expedit, quam agrum optime colere. Plin. Cic. de Orat. Jul. Solin. Polyh. c. 45 nimium eſſe ſuperſtitioſum non oportere: that there is a reaſon in being religious, and that men muſt ſee they bee not ſuperſtitious. Solomon ſaith, that hee that wrings his noſe over hard, brings blood out of it. Pliny ſaith, hee that tills his Land over-well, doth it to his loſs. Apelles ſaid, thoſe Painters were too blame, qui non ſentirent quid eſſet ſatis, that could not ſee when they had done ſufficient. It is reported of the River Nilus, that if it either exceeed or bee defective in its due overflowings of the Land of Egypt, it cauſeth famine; The planet Jupiter, ſituate betwixt cold Saturn, and hot Mars, Lib. 2. c. 8 Ex utroque temperatus eſt; & ſalutaris, ſaith Pliny, partakes of both, and is benign and wholeſome to the ſublunary creatures.

Verſ. 17. Bee not wicked over-much] viz. Becauſe thou ſeeſt ſome wicked men live long, and ſcape ſcot-free for the preſent, as verſ. 15. For God may cut thee ſhort enough, and make thee die before thy time, i. e. before thou art fit to die; and when it were better for thee to do any thing, rather than die, ſith thou dieſt in thy ſins, which is much worſe than to die in a ditch.Job 34.37 Deut. 29. Micah 7.3 Now they are over-much wicked, and egregiouſly fooliſh, that add rebellion to ſin, drunkenneſs to thirſt, doing wickedly with both hands earneſtly, refuſing to bee reformed, hating to bee healed. Theſe take long ſtrides toward the burning lake, which is but a little before them. The Law many times laies hold of them, the gallows claims its right, they preach in a Tiburn-tippet, Pſal. 137. as they ſay. Or otherwiſe, God cuts them off betime, even long before, as hee knows their thoughts and diſpoſitions long before. Wee uſe to deſtroy hemlock even in the midſt of winter; becauſe wee know what it will do, if ſuffered to grow. Bloody and deceitful men ſhall not live out half their daies, Pſal. 55.25. God cut off Elies two ſons in one day, for their overmuch wickedneſs; and further threatned their Father, that there ſhould not bee an old man left in his houſe for ever, 1 Samuel 2.32. Wicked men die tempore non ſuo, as the Text is by ſome rendred. The Saints die not till the beſt time, not till their work is done (and then God ſends them to bed; the two witneſſes could not bee killed whiles they were doing it) not till that time, when if they were but rightly informed, they would even deſire to die.

Verſ. 18. It is good that thou ſhouldeſt take hold of this] i. e. Of this golden mean; walking accurately by line and by rule,Pſal. 125.5 and continuing conſtant in thine integrity, not turning aſide to the right hand, or to the left. As for thoſe that turn aſide unto thoſe crooked waies of being juſt over-much, by needleſs ſcrupuloſity, or wicked over-much, by deteſtable exorbitancy, the Lord ſhall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity, as cattel led to the ſlaughter, or malefactors to execution. When hee that feareth God ſhall come out of them all. Hee ſhall look forthright, Prov. 4.25. and ſhall have no occaſion of ſtumbling, 1 Joh. 2.10. Hee ſhall alſo bee freed from, or pulled as a firebrand out of the fire, Zach. 3.2.

Verſ. 19. Wiſdome ſtrengtheneth the wiſe, &c.] Prudence excelleth puiſſance, and counſel valour. This made Agamenon ſet ſuch a price upon Ulyſſes, Darius upon Zopyrus, the Siracuſans upon Archimedes, the Spartans upon Leonidas, Juſtin. lib. 2. who with ſix hundred men, diſperſed five hundred thouſand of Xerxes his Hoſt. Thoſe that are wiſe to ſalvation, go ever under a double guard, the peace of God with in them, the power of God without them. No Sultan of Babylon or Egypt (who have that title from the Hebrew word here rendred Mighty men) did ever go ſo well guarded. See the Note on Prov. 21.22.

Verſ. 20. For there is not a juſt man upon earth] No, this is reſerved for the ſtate of perfection in Heaven, where are the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect,Aug de peccator. meritis, lib. 2. cap. 7. Heb. 12.23. It was the cavil wherewith the Pelagians troubled Saint Auſtin, whether it were impoſſible that by the abſolute power of God a juſt man might not live on earth without ſin? But what have wee to do here with the abſolute power of God? His revealed will is, That there is not a juſt man upon earth, that doth good, and ſinneth not; nay, that ſinneth not, even in his doing of good. Our righteouſneſs (whiles wee are on earth) is mixt, as light and darkneſs (dimneſs at leaſt) in a painted glaſs dyed with ſome obſcure and dim colour; it is tranſparent, and giveth good, but not clear and pure light. Dr. Stoughton, on Phil. 3.20. It is a witty obſervation of a late learned Divine, that the preſent tenſe in Grammar is accompanied with the Imperfect, the Future with the Praeter-pluperfect tenſe; and thar ſuch is the condition of our preſent and future holineſs. Our future is more than perfect, our preſent is imperfect indeed, but yet true holineſs and happineſs. See the Note on Prov. 20.9.

Verſ. 21. Alſo take no head] But bee as a deaf man that heareth not, and as a dumb man, in whoſe mouth there is no reproof, Pſal. 38.13. If thou anſwer any thing, ſay as hee in Tacitus did to one that railed at him, Tu linguae, ego vero aurium dominus, Thou mayeſt ſay what thou wilt, but I will hear as I liſt; or as once a certain Steward did to his paſſionate Lord, when hee called him knave, &c. Your Honour may ſpeak as you pleaſe, but I beleeve not a word that you ſay, for I know my ſelf an honeſt man. The language of reproachers muſt bee read like Hebrew, backwards. Princes uſe to correct the indecencies of Embaſſadors, by denying them audience. Certain it is, that hee enjoyes a brave compoſedneſs, that ſets himſelf above the flight of the injurious claw. Iſaac's apology to his brother Iſmael, viz. patience and ſilence, is the beſt anſwer to words of ſcorn and petulancy, ſaid learned Hooker. I care not for mans day, 1 Cor. 4.3 ſaith Paul, Non curo vanum calumniatorem, I regard not a vain ſlanderer, ſaith Auſtin. Wicelius and Cochleus gave out, that wee Lutherans betraied the Rhodes to the Turk, ſaith Melanchthon. Theſe impudent lies need no confutation, dicant ipſi talia quoad velint, let them tell ſuch loud and leud lies as many as they will. When a net is ſpread for a bird, ſaith Auſtin, the manner is to throw ſtones at the hedge. Theſe ſtones hurt not the bird, but ſhee hearing and fearing this vain ſound, falls into the net. In like manner ſaith hee, men that fear and regard the vain ſound of all ill words, what do they but fall into the Devils net, who thereby carries them captive into much evil, many troubles and inconveniencies?

Leſt thou hear thy ſervant curſe thee] Who ſhould in duty ſpeak the beſt of thee, though frample and froward, croſs and crooked, 1 Pet. 2.18. Or by ſervant underſtand baſe inferiour people, ſuch as were Tobiah the ſervant,Pſal. 35.15 the Ammonite, and thoſe abjects that tare Davids name, and ceaſed not.

Verſ. 22. For oftentimes alſo thine own heart knows] Conſcience is Gods ſpie, and Mans over-ſeer; and though ſome can make a ſorry ſhift to muzzle her for a time, or to ſtop their own cars, yet ipſa ſe offert, ipſa ſe ingerit, ſaith Bernard, ſooner or later ſhee will tell a man his own to ſome tune, as they ſay, ſhee will not go behinde the door to let him know, that hee himſelf likewiſe hath curſed others, as now by Gods juſt judgement, others curſe him. The conſcience of our own evil doings, though hid from the world, ſhould meeken us toward thoſe that do amiſs. See Titus 3.3. Say to your ſelves, Aut ſumus, ant fuimus, aut poſſumus eſſe quod hic eſt.

The wrong that David had done to Ʋriah, helped him to bear the barkings of that dead Dogg Shimei. Here then Take no heed unto all words, &c. as in the former verſe. For, nihil amarius quam id ipſum pati quod feceris, there is nothing more bitter, than to ſuffer that which thou haſt done to others;Tertul. becauſe thoſe ſufferings ſting the conſcience with unqueſtionable conviction and horrour, as is to bee ſeen in Adonibezek, who acknowledged with a regret, a juſt remuneration, Judg. 1.7.

Verſ. 23. I ſaid I will bee wiſe, but it was far from mee] Solomon here ſeems to ſay of wiſdome, as Nazianzen doth of God the author of it, Tantum recedit, quantum capitur. Not that wiſdome it ſelf doth fly away, but becauſe that they who have moſt of it, do eſpecially underſtand,Baſil. tract. de fide. that it exceedeth the capacity of any one to bee able to comprehend it (as Baſil gives the reaſon) ſo that they that think they have got demonſtrations, perceive afterwards that they are no more than topicae aut ſophiſticae rationes, topical or ſophiſtical arguments, as Lyra here noteth. Bonus quidam vir ſolebat eſſe ſolus, &c. ſaith Melancthon. A certain well-meaning man was wont to walk and ſtudy much alone, and lighting upon Ariſtotles diſcourſe concerning the nature of the Rainbow, hee fell into many odd ſpeculations, and ſtrange conceits; and writing to a friend of his, told him, that in all other matters, though dark and obſcure, hee had out-gone Ariſtotle, but in the matter of the Rainbow hee had out-gone himſelf. After this hee came into the publick ſchools,Joh. Mant. loc. com. 536. and diſputed of that argument, Et toto prorſus coelo à veritate aberrabat ſuis phantaſi[illegible: 1 letter], and then hee came to ſee that hee had been utterly out, and ſtrangely miſcarried by thoſe phantaſies, which hee had ſo ſtrongly fancied.

Verſ. 24. That which is far off and exceeding deep] Not the Minions of the Muſes, Mentemque habere queis bonam, & eſſe corculis datum eſt: Douſa. For though they ſhould eviſcerate themſelves, like Spiders, crack their ſconces, or ſtudy themſelves to death, yet can they not underſtand all myſteries, 1 Cor. 13.2 and all knowledge in natural things, how much leſs in ſupernatural? whereas weak-ſighted, and ſand-blind perſons, the more they ſtrain their eyes to diſcern a thing perfectly, the leſs they ſee of it, as Vives hath obſerved. L. Vives in Aug. de civ. dei. l. 2. c. [illegible: 1 letter] It is utterly impoſſible for a meer Naturaliſt that cannot tell the form, the quinteſſence; that cannot enter into the depth of the flower, or the graſs hee treads on, to have the wit to enter into the deep things of God, the myſtery of Chriſt which was hid from Angels till the diſcovery, and ſince that they are ſtill Students in it.Epheſ. 4. David, though hee ſaw further than his Antients, Pſal. 119.99. yet hee was ſtill to ſeek of that which might bee known, verſ. 96. Even as thoſe great diſcoverers of the New-found-lands in America, at their return were wont to confeſs, that there was ſtill a Plus ultra, ſomething more beyond yet. Not onely in innumerable other things am I very ignorant (ſaith Auſtin) but alſo in the very Scriptures, multo plura neſcio quam ſcio, Aug. Epiſt. I am ignorant of many more things by odds, than I yet underſtand. This preſent life is like the Vale of Sciaeſsa, near unto the Town called Patrae; of which Solinus ſaith, that it is famous for nothing but for its darkſomeneſs, as being continually overcaſt with the ſhadows of nine hills that do environ it,Polyhiſt. c. 12. ſo that the Sun can hardly caſt a beam of light into it. Properemus ad coeleſtem Academiam, Let us haſten to the Univerſity of Heaven, where the leaſt childe knows a thouſand times more than the deepeſt Doctor upon earth.

Verſ. 25. I applied mine heart] Circuiviego & cor meum (ſo the Original runs) I and my heart turned about, or made a circle to know, &c. He took his heart with him, and reſolved (hard or not hard) to make further ſearch into wiſdoms ſecrets. Difficulty doth but whet on heroick ſpirits: it doth no whit weaken but waken their reſolutions to goe through with the work. When Alexander met with any hard or hazardous peece of ſervice, he would ſay, Jam periculum par animo Alexandri, He ever atchieved what hee enterprized, becauſe he never accounted any thing impoſſible to bee atchieved. David was well pleaſed with the condition of bringing in to Saul the fore-skins of an hundred Philiſtims. If a bowl run down hill, a rub in the way does but quicken it; as if up hill, it ſlugs it. A man of Solomons make, one that hath a free, noble, princely ſpirit, ſpeaks to Wiſdome, as Laelius in Lucan did to Caeſar, Juſſa ſequitam velle mihi, quam poſſe, neceſſe.

And to know the wickedneſſe of folly] The ſinfulneſſe of ſin, Rom. 7.13. Sin is ſo evil that it cannot have a worſe Epithet given it. Mammon of unrighteouſneſſe, Luke 16.11. is the next odious name to the Devil.

Even the fooliſhneſſe of madneſſe] That by one contrary he might the better know the other. Folly may ſerve as a foil to ſet off wiſdome; as Gardiners ſuffer ſome ſtinking ſtuffe to grow near their ſweeteſt flowers.

Verſ. 26. And I found more bitter than death] Amantes amentes: Amor amaror, Plus aloes quam mellis habet. Knoweſt thou not that there is bitterneſſe in the end?Dulce & amarum guſtulum corpis. Heus ſcholaſtice, ſaid the Harlot to Apuleius, Heark Scholar, your ſweet bits will prove bitter in the cloſe.

Principium dulce eſt, at finis amoris amarus.

The Pomegranate with its ſweet kernels, but bitter rind, is an emblem of the bitter-ſweet pleaſure of ſin.Speed. 710. Walfingh. It is obſerved of our Edward the third, that he had alwayes fair weather at his paſſage into France, and foul upon his return, Laeta venire Venus, Solin. cap. 27 tristis abire ſolet. The Panther hides her head, till ſhe ſees her time to make prey of thoſe other beaſts, that drawn by her ſweet ſmell, follow her to their own deſtruction. The Poets fable, that pleaſure and pain complained one of another to Jupiter, and that (when he could not decide the controverſie betwixt them) he tied them together with chains of Adamant, never to be ſundred.

The Woman] The wanton Woman, that ſhame of her Sex. A Bitch Moſes calls her, Deut. 23.18. St. Paul, a living Ghoſt, a walking Sepulcher of her ſelf, 1 Tim. 5.6. Cum careat pura mente, cadaever agit. This I finde, ſaith Solomon: where I is I with a witneſſe; he had found it by woful experience, and now relates it for a warning to others. Saith he, Quid facies facies Veneris cum veneris ante? Non ſedeas, ſed eas: ne pereas, per eas.

Whoſe heart is ſuares and nets] Heb. Hunters ſnares: for ſhe hunteth for the precious life, Prov. 6.26. and the Devil by her hunts for the precious ſoul, there being not any thing that hath more enriched Hell than Harlots. All is good fiſh that comes to theſe nets;2 Tim. 2.26 but they are taken alive by the Devil at his pleaſure.

And her hands as hands] To captivate and enſlave thoſe that haunt her, as Dalilah did Sampſon, as the Harlot did the young Novice, Prov. 7.22. as Solomons Moabitiſh miſtreſſes did him, and as it is ſaid of the Perſian Kings, that they were captivarum ſuarum captivi, Plutarch. captives to their Concubines, who durſt take the crown from their heads, or do any thing to them almoſt, when others might not come near them uncalled, upon pain of death, Eſt. 4.11.

Who ſo pleaſeth God ſhall eſcape from her] As Joſeph did, and Bellerophon, though with a difference. Joſeph out of a principle of Chaſtity, Bellerophon of Continency. The continent perſon refrains either for love of praiſe, or fear of puniſhment, but not without grief, for inwardly he is ſcalded with boyling luſt, as Alexander, Scipio, and Pompey were, when tempted with the exquiſiteneſs, and variety of choyſeſt beauties, they forbare. Vellem, ſi non eſſem Imperator. But now the Chaſte man, who is good before God (one whom he approves and takes pleaſure in) is holy both in body and ſpirit, 1 Cor. 7.34. and this with delight, out of fear of God, and love of vertue. God did much for that libidinous Gentleman, who ſporting with a Curtezan in a houſe of ſin, happened to ask her name, which ſhe ſaid was Mary: Mountaignes Eſſayes. whereat he was ſtricken with ſuch a remorſe and reverence, that he inſtantly not only caſt off the Harlot, but amended his future life.

But the Sinner ſhall be taken by her] See the Note on Prov. 22.14. The Poets fable, that when Prometheus had diſcovered Truth to men, that had long lain hid from them, Jupiter (or the Devil) to croſſe that deſign, ſent Pandora (that is Pleaſure) that ſhould ſo beſot them, as that they ſhould neither mind nor make out after Truth and Honeſty.

Verſ 27. Behold this I have found] [non-Latin text not transcribed], I have found it, I have found it, ſaid the Philoſopher, Vicimus, Vicimus, we have prevailed, we have prevailed, ſaid Luther, when hee had been praying in his Cloſet, for the good ſucceſſe of the conſultation about Religion in Germany. So the Preacher here,Aperit ſibi diligentia januam veritatis. Amb. having by diligence ſet open the door of truth, cries, Venite, videte, Come and ſee my diſcoveries, in the making whereof I have been very exact, counting one by one, Ne mole obruerer, leſt I ſhould bee oppreſſed with many things at once.

Verſ. 28. Which yet my ſoul ſeeketh, but I finde not] There is a place in Wiltſhire called Stonage, for divers great ſtones lying and ſtanding there together: of which ſtones it is ſaid,Camden. that though a man number them one by one never ſo carefully, yet that he cannot finde the true number of them, but that every time he numbers them he findes a different number from that he found before. This may well ſhew (as one well applies it) the erring of mans labour in ſeeking the account of wiſdome and knowledge. For though his diligence be never ſo great in making the reckoning, he will alwayes be out, and not able to find it out.

One man among a thouſand] Hand facile invenies multis è milibus unum. There is a very great ſcarcity of good people. Theſe are as Gideons three hundred, when the wicked, as the Midianites, lye like Graſhoppers for multitude upon the earth, Judg. 7. and as thoſe Syrians, 1 King. 20.27. they fill the country, they darken the air, as the ſwarms did the Land of Aegypt: and there is plenty of ſuch duſt-heaps in every corner.

But a Woman among all thoſe have I not found] i. e. Among all my Wives and Concubines, which made him ready to ſing, Foemina nulla bona eſt. But that there are, and ever have been many gracious Women, ſee (beſides the Scriptures) the Writings of many Learned men, De illuſtribus foeminis: It is eaſie to obſerve (ſaith one) that the New-Teſtament affords more ſtore of good Wives than the Old. And I can ſay as Hierom does, Novi ego multas ad omne opus bonum promptas, I know many Tabithaes full of good works. But in reſpect of the diſcoverie of hearts and natures whether in good or evil, it is harder to find out throughly the perfect diſpoſition of a Woman, than of Men. And that I take to be the meaning of this text.

Verſ. 29. That God hath made man upright] viz. In his own Image, i. e. knowledge in his underſtanding part, rightneſſe in his will, and holineſſe in his affections: his heart was a lump of love, &c. when he came firſt out of Gods Mint he ſhone moſt glorious, clad with the royal robe of righteouſneſſe, created with the imperial crown, Pſal. 8.5. But the Devil ſoon ſtript him of it, he cheated and couſened him of the Crown (as we uſe to doe children) with the apple, or whatſoever fruit it was that he tendred to Eve: Porrexit pomum & ſurripuit paradiſum. Bernard. Lib. 1. legis allegor. Hee alſo ſet his limbs in the place of Gods Image, ſo that now, Is qui factus eſt homo differt ab eo quem Deus fecit, as Philo ſaith, Man is now of another make than God made him. Totus homo eſt inverſus decalogus, whole evil is in man, and whole man in evil: Neither can hee caſt the blame upon God, but muſt fault himſelf, and fly to the ſecond Adam for repair.

But they have ſought out many inventions] New tricks and deviſes, like thoſe poetical fictions, and fabulous relations, whereof there is neither proof nor profit. The Vulgar Latine hath it, Et ipſe ſe infinitis miſcuit quaeſtionibus, And hee hath intangled himſelf with numberleſs queſtions, and fruitleſs ſpeculations. See 1 Tim. 1.4. and cap. 6.4. doting about queſtions, or queſtionſick. Bernard reads it thus, Ipſe autem ſe implicuit doloribus multis, but hee hath involved himſelf in many troubles, the fruit of his inventions, ſhifts and ſherking tricks. See Jer. 6.19.