John Trapp on Ecclesiastes 12:9-10

Verſ. 9. And moreover becauſe the Preacher was wiſe] Hee well knew how hard it was to work men to a beleef of what hee had affirmed concerning earthly vanities; and therefore heaps up here many forcible and cogent Arguments, as Firſt, that himſelf was no baby, but wiſe above all men in the world, by Gods own teſtimony; therefore his words ſhould bee well regarded. [non-Latin text not transcribed], Our wiſe men expound to day (ſaid the Jews one to another) Come let us go up to the houſe of the Lord, &c. Cicero had that high opinion of Plato for his wiſdome, that hee profeſſed that hee would rather go wrong with him, than go right with others. Averroes over-admired Ariſtotle, as if hee had been infallible. But this is a praiſe proper to the holy Pen-men guided by the Spirit of Truth, and filled with wiſdome from on high for the purpoſe. To them therefore, and to the word of prophecy by them, muſt men give heed as unto a light that ſhineth in a dark place, &c. 2 Pet. 1.19.

Hee ſtill taught the people knowledge] Hee hid not his talent in a Napkin, but uſed it to the inſtruction of his people. Have not I written for thee excellent things (or three ſeveral ſorts of Books, viz. Proverbial, Penitential, Nuptial) in counſels and knowledge, Prov. 22.20. Syneſius ſpeaks of ſome, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Syneſ. that having great worth in them, will as ſoon part with their hearts, as with their conceptions. And Gregory obſerveth, that there are not a few, who being enriched with ſpiritual gifts and abilities to do good, dum ſolis contemplationis ſtudiis inardeſcunt, Past. Cur. p. 1. c. 5. parere utilitati proximorum praedicatione refugiu[illegible: 1 letter] while they burn in the ſtudies of contemplation onely, do ſhun to ſeek by preaching to profit their neighbours. Solomon was none of theſe.

Yea hee gave good heed] Or, hee made them to take good heed; Auſ[illegible: 1 letter]ultare fecit. Pag. Ar. Mon. tan. hee called upon them ever and anon, as our Saviour did upon his hearers, Let him that hath an ear to hear, hear. Or as the Deacons in Chryſoſtoms and Baſils time uſed to call upon the people, in theſe words, Oremus, attendamus, Let us pray, let us give heed.

And ſought out] By diligent ſcrutiny and hard ſtudy: beating his brains, as the foul bears the ſhell, to get out the fiſh, with great vehemency. The ſtaves were alway in the Ark, to ſhew, ſaith Gregory, that Preachers ſhould alwaies meditate in their hearts upon the ſacred Scriptures; that if need require they may without delay take up the Ark, teach the people.

And ſet in order many Proverbs] Marſhalled them in a fit method, and ſet others a work for to do the like.Dan. 68. For, Regis ad exemplum, &c. Our Henry the firſt (ſirnamed Beauclerk) had in his youth ſome taſte of learning; And this put many of his ſubjects into the faſhion of the Book, ſo that divers learned men flouriſhed in his time: as Ethan, Heman, Cha[illegible: 1 letter]col, Agur, and other Paroemiographers did in Solomons.

Luther.Verſ. 10. The Preacher ſought, &c.] Hee ſought and ſought, by pains and prayer. Hee knew the rule, Bene oraſſe, eſt bene ſtuduiſſe, To have prayed well, is to have ſtudied well. By prayer and tears St. John gat the Book opened, Rev. 5.4. Luther got much of his inſight into Gods matters, by the ſame means.

To finde out acceptable words] Verba deſiderata (ſo Cajetan renders it) Verba delectabilia (ſo Tremellius) Verba expetibilia (ſo Vatablus) Delectable and deſireable words, dainty expreſſions, that might both pleaſe and profit, tickle the ear,Into[illegible: 1 letter]abat, fulgurabat. Cicero. Plutarch. and withall take the heart. Such a Maſter of ſpeech was Paul, Act. 14.12. who thundred and lightened in his diſcourſes, like another Pericles. Such a one was Apollos that eloquent Preacher, mighty in the Scriptures ([non-Latin text not transcribed], like another Phocion, a weighty Speaker) ſuch were many of the Greek and Latine Fathers; Ambroſe for one, whom when Auguſtine heard preach, Veniebant, ſaith hee, in animum meum ſimul cum verbis quae deligebam, etiam res quas negligebam, there came into my mind, together with the words which I chiefly looked after, the matter which till then I made no reckoning of. Et res & verba. Philippus Melanchthon could dreſs his doctrine in dainty tearms, and ſo ſlide inſenſibly into the hearts of his hearers. Egit vir eloquens ut intelligenter ut obedienter audiretur, De doct. Chriſt. l. 4. c. 14. (as Auguſtine hath it.) This eloquent man took pains that hee might bee heard with underſtanding, with obedience. The like might bee ſaid of Calvin (famous for the purity of his ſtyle, and the holineſs of his matter.Zanch. Miſcell. Ep. dedic.) Viret, in whoſe Sermons ſingularem eloquentiam & in commovendis affectibus efficacitatem admirabar, ſaith Zanchy. I greatly admired at his ſingular eloquence and skill to work upon the affections by his elaborate diſcourſes.

And that which was written was upright] A corde ad cor, void of all inſincerity and falſhood, Prov. 8.8. Seducers come for the moſt part with pithanology; by good words and fair ſpeeches they deceive the hearts of the ſimple. Rom. 16.18. But our Preachers words are of another alloy; not more delicious and toothſome, than ſound and wholeſome, 2 Tim. 3.16. proceeding from a right heart, and tending to make men upright, transforming them into the ſame image, and transfuſing them into the Divine nature.