John Trapp on Ecclesiastes 5:2

Verſ. 2. Bee not raſh with thy month] From hearing, the Preacher proceeds to give directions for ſpeaking, whether it bee of God or to him. For the firſt, the very Heathens could ſay, Non loquendum de Deo ſine lumine, Pythag. Wee may not ſpeak of God without a light, i. e. without a deliberate premeditation, and well-adviſed conſideration. In ſpeaking of God, ſaith one,Mr. Hooker. our beſt eloquence is our ſilence. And if wee ſpeak at all on this ſubject, ſaith another, no words will ſo well become us, as thoſe quae ignorantiam noſtram praetendunt, Jul. Scalig. that moſt diſcover our ſmall knowledge of him: How little a portion or pittance is heard of him, ſaith holy Job, (chap. 26.14. The Hebrew word ſignifies a little bit or particle, nay a little peece of a word, ſuch as an eccho reſoundeth) But the thunder of his power who can underſtand? it is ineffable, becauſe unconceivable. Here, if ever, Claudicat ingenium, delirat linguaque menſque,Lucret.

But although Hierome thinks it beſt to underſtand the Preacher here of a ſpeaking of God, yet others, and for better reaſon,Hieron. in loc. conceive his meaning to be rather of a ſpeaking to God by prayer, and particularly by a Vow, which implies a prayer, (as the Greek words [non-Latin text not transcribed] and [non-Latin text not transcribed] import) Here then,

Let not thine heart bee haſty to utter any thing] Heb. Let not thine heart through haſte, bee ſo troubled or diſturbed, as to tumble over, and throw out words without wiſdome, in a confuſed manner, in a ſlubbering ſort. But as there was half an hours ſilence in heaven when the ſeventh ſeal was opened, Rev. 8.1. and or ever the ſeven Trumpets ſounded: ſo ſhould there bee a ſad and ſerious weighing of our petitions, before wee utter them. Neſcit poenitenda loqui, qui proferenda prius ſuo tradidit examini, Caſſiodor. lib. 10. Ep. 4. Hee repents not of his requeſts, who firſt duly deliberates what to requeſt. Whereas hee that blurts out whatſoever lies uppermoſt, as ſome good men have done in their haſte, and heat of paſſion, (as Job, chap. 6.5. David, Pſal. 116.11. Jeremy, chap. 15.10, 18. Jonah, chap. 4. who brawled with God inſtead of praying to him) diſpleaſeth God no leſs than the Muſcovy-Miniſters do their hearers, if they miſpronounce but any ſyllable in their whole Liturgy.

For God is in heaven, and thou upon earth] Hee is the High and Holy One; that inhabiteth Eternity, Iſa. 57.15. and thou art Epalude ſua procedens & repens vilis ranuncula, (as Bernard hath it) a baſe toad creeping or crawling out of a ditch: there is an infinite diſtance and diſproportion between Him and thee; therefore ſee to it that thou come to him with all poſſible reverence, humility, and ſelf-abaſement. See Job 42.6. 1 King. 18.42. Matth. 26.38. It is obſervable, that when the great Turk comes into his Moſche, or Temple, he lays by all his State, and hath none to attend him all the while.

Therefore let thy words bee few] But full, as the Publicans were, Luk. 18.13. O quam multa quam paucis! Oh how much in a little! ſaid Tully of Brutus his Epiſtle; ſo may wee ſay of that Publicans prayer; how much more of the Lords prayer, ſet in flat oppoſition to the Heatheniſh Battologies and vain repetitions, uſual with Pagans and Papagans, &c. See the Note on Mat. 6.7, 8, 9. It is reported of the ancient Chriſtians of Aegypt, Quod breviſſimis & raptim jaculatis orationibus uti voluerint, ne per moras evaneſceret & hebetaretur intentio, Auguſt. that they made very ſhort prayers, that their devotion might not bee dulled by longer doings. Caſſian alſo makes mention of certain religious perſons in his time, Qui utilius cenſebant breves quidem orationes ſed creberrimas fieri, &c. who thought it beſt that our prayers ſhould bee ſhort, but frequent: the one, that there might bee continual intercourſe maintained between God and us: the other, that by ſhortneſs wee might avoid the Devills darts, which hee throws eſpecially at us, while wee are praying. Theſe bee good reaſons; and more may bee added out of Matth. 6. as that our Heavenly Father knows what wee need, &c. That which the Preacher here preſſeth, is, the tranſcendent Excellency and ſurpaſſing Majeſty of Almighty God. I am a great King, ſaith Hee, Mal. 1. And I look to bee ſerved like my ſelf. Hoſ. 14.2. Therefore take unto you words, neither over curious, nor over careleſs, but ſuch as are humble, earneſt, direct to the point, avoiding vain bablings, needleſs and endleſs repetitions, heartleſs digreſſions, tedious prolixities, wilde and idle diſcourſes of ſuch extemporary petitioners, as not diſpoſing their matter in due order by premeditation (and withall being word-bound) are forced to go forward and backward, like Hounds at a loſs; and having haſtily begun, they know not how handſomly to make an end.