John Trapp on Ecclesiastes 10:1

CHAP. X. Verſ. 1. Dead Flies cauſe the ointment, &c.]

THe Preacher had ſaid, that One ſinner deſtroies much good, chap. 8.18. here hee affirms the ſame of one ſin; bee it but a ſmall ſin, a peccadillo, no bigger than a few dead flies fallen into a pot of ſweet odours; it is of that ſtinking nature, that it ſtains a good mans eſteem, and fly-blows his reputation. A great many flies may fall into a tarr-box, and no hurt done. A ſmall ſpot is ſoon ſeen in a Swan; not ſo in a Swine. Fine Lawn is ſooner and deeper ſtained, than courſe Canvaſe. A City upon an hill cannot bee hid, the leaſt eclipſe or aberration in the heavenly bodies is quickly noted and noticed. If Jacob a plain man deal deceitfully, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Sept. the banks of blaſphemy will bee broken down in a prophane Eſau thereby. If his unruly ſons falſifie with the Shechemites, hee ſhall have cauſe to complain, Yee have made mee to ſtink among the inhabitants of the Land, Gen. 34.30. If Moſes marry an Ethiopian woman, it ſhall be laid in his diſh, by his deareſt friends, Numb. 12.1. If Sampſon go down to Timnah, the Philiſtims will ſoon have it by the end, told it will bee in Gath, publiſhed in the ſtreets of Askelon. If David do otherwiſe than well at home,2 Sam. 12. the name of God will ſoon ſtink abroad. If Joſiah go up unadviſedly againſt Pharoah Neeho, and fall by his own folly; this ſhall bee his deriſion in the Land of Egypt, Hoſ. 7.16. The enemies of God will ſoon compoſe Comedies out of the Churches tragedies, and make themſelves merry in her miſery. Shee is ſaid to bee fair as the Moon: which, though it bee a beautiful creature,Cant. 6.10 and full of light, yet is ſhee not without her black ſpots and blemiſhes (Galileus uſed perſpective-glaſſes to deſcry mountains in her.) Theſe the Church Malignant is ever eying and aggravating, paſſing by or depraving the better practices of Gods people. As Vultures, they hunt after carkaſſes, as Swine,Vultures ad male olentia feruntur. Baſil. they musk in the muck-hill: As Beetles, they would live and dye in horſe-dung. It muſt bee our care as much as may bee, to maintain our reputation, to cut off all occaſion of obloquie, to bee blameleſs and harmleſs, Phil. 2.15. fair to the eye, and ſweet to the taſte, as that tree in Paradiſe; without blemiſh from head to foot, as Abſolom was;Tertul. ad Scapul. Non aliunde noſcibiles quam de emendatione vitiorum priſtinorum (as Tertullian ſaith of the Chriſtians of his time) known from all others by their innocence and patience. That was a good choice (for this purpoſe) that hee himſelf made,Tert. de fuga perſ. Malo miſerandum quam erubeſcendum, I had rather bee pittied, than juſtly reproached. Strive wee ſhould to bee as Paul was, a good ſavour, 2 Cor. 2. and not to go out, as they ſay the Devil doth, in a ſtench.