John Trapp on Ecclesiastes 12:11

Verſ. 11. The words of the wiſe are like goads] To rouſe up mens drouſie and droſſie ſpirits; to drive them (as the Eagle doth her young ones with her talons) out of the neſt of carnal ſecurity: to awaken them out of the ſnare of the Devil, who hath caſt many into ſuch a dead lethargy, ſuch a dedolent diſpoſition, that like Dionyſius the Heracleot, they can hardly feel ſharpeſt goads, or needles thruſt into their fat hearts; fat as greaſe, Pſal. 119.17. St. Peter ſo preached, that his hearers were prickt at heart, Act. 2.37. St. Stephen ſo galled his adverſaries, that they were cut to the heart, Act. 7.54. And before them both, how [illegible: 2 letters]rely and boldly dealt John Baptiſt, and our Saviour Chriſt with thoſe enemies of all Righteouſneſs the Phariſees, qui toties puncti ac repuncti, nunquam tamen ad reſipiſcentiam compuncti, as one ſaith of them: (who like thoſe Bears in Pliny, or Aſſes of Tuſcany, that have fed on hemlock) were ſo ſtupified, that no ſharp words would work upon them, or take impreſſion in their hearts; ſo brawny were their breaſts; ſo horny their heart-ſtrings?

And as nails] Such as Shepheards faſtened their tents to the ground with; Jael drove one of theſe tent-nails thorow Siſera's Temples;Judg. 4. and laid his body as it were a liſtening what was become of the ſoul. Now as nails driven into pales do faſten them to their rails, ſo the godly and grave ſentences of Teachers (thoſe Maſters of Aſſemblies) do peirce into mens hearts, to unite them unto God by Faith, and one to another in love. Our exhortations truly ſhould bee ſtrong and well pointed; not onely to wound as arrows, but to ſtick by the people as forked arrows, that they may prove as thoſe of Joaſh, the arrows of the Lords deliverance. And ſurely it were to be wiſhed (in theſe unſetled and giddy times eſpecially) that people would ſuffer ſuch words of exhortation, as like goads, might prick them on to pious practice, and like nails, might fix their wilde conceits, that they might bee ſtedfaſt and unmoveable, ſtabliſhed in the truth, and not whiffled about with every wind of Doctrine. But wee can look for no better, ſo long as they have ſo mean an eſteem of the Miniſters, thoſe Maſters of the Aſſemblies, (whoſe Office it is to congregate the people, and to preſide in the Congregations) which are given from one Shepheard, 1 Pet. 2.25. the Arch-Shepheard of his Sheep, Jeſus Chriſt; who in the daies of his ſolemn inauguration into his Kingdome, gave theſe gifts unto men, viz. ſome to bee Apoſtles, ſome Evangeliſts, ſome Paſtors, ſome Teachers, &c. Epheſ. 4.11. What a mouth of blaſphemy then opens that Schiſmatical Pamphleter,The Compaſ. Samarit. that makes this precious gift of Chriſt to his Spouſe, this ſacred and tremend function of the Miniſtery, to bee as meer an Impoſture, as very a myſtery of iniquity, as arrant a juggle as the Papacy it ſelf?