disable thee another time from doing that good which now he puts into thy hand It is wisdome to do Gods work in Gods time Haply thou thy self mayst fall into want and stand in need of help from others therefore make thee friends of Mammon before hand Luk. 16.9 Ps. 37.26 41.1 2 3. 1 Tim. 6.18 19. V. 3. If the clouds be full of rain they empty themselves upon the earth and if the tree fall towards the South or towards the North in the place where the tree falleth there it shall be He urgeth the duty of charity and bounty by elegant similitudes Clouds that are full of moisture do not keep it to themselves but shed it forth in showers on the earth and on all kind of corn and herbs for the benefit of many whence they are called the bottles of heaven Job 38.37 and the chambers of the Lord Ps. 104.13 from whence he poureth down rain according to the vapour thereof Job 36.27 28. so should rich men Prov. 11.25 whom the Lord hath filled with his blessings as the Scripture useth to express it Deut. 33.23 Job 22.18 Prov. 5.10 Deut. 6.11 Prov. 30.9 Phil. 4.12.18 not keep Gods blessings to themselves but pour them forth upon those that are empty and if the tree fall c. This some apply unto death as if we were thereby warned to do good while we may because death will at last cut us down and deprive us of any further opportunity Eccl. 9.10 Joh. 9.4 and as death leaves us judgement will find us But it seemeth rather to denote the benefit of charity unto the authors thereof that wheresoever their bounty and mercy is placed there it will be found again to their comfort they shall not go without their reward as the tree on which side ever it falls it will there be found when the owner thereof inquireth after it V. 4. He that observeth the wind shall not sow and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap By these similitudes he preventeth all those pretences and objections which carnal hearts are apt to make against the present season of doing good and are apt thereby to defer and put it off to some fitter time when they shall have found out more fitting objects on which to place their bounty We are very apt to frame excuses against present duty Hag. 1.2 Act. 24.25 Prov. 3.27 28. Here therefore the Wise man removeth these pretences He that will by every wind be deterred from sowing his seed lest it should be blown away and by every cloud from reaping his corn lest the weather should be unseasonable shall never do his business because there will never be wanting some discouragement or other so he that is ever framing carnal objections against doing good shall over-slip the season and never do his duty nor receive his reward We are to take notice of the present call of God unto any good work and the present opportunity he puts into our hands and not delay service upon the fear of future contingents which are not in our power Matth. 6.34 V. 5. As thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with Child even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all By our ignorance of the works of Gods providence he warneth us to be diligent in embracing every present opportunity of doing good and not to defer or delay duty till haply the Lord will put us out of all capacity to do it This ignorance he proveth a minori If we know not things more ordinary and familiar unto us which happen every day as the way of the spirit Symmachus rendreth it of the wind which way it comes and goes how it riseth and slackneth Joh. 3.8 Or how the soul comes into the body and quickneth it so the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or how the bones do grow How the several parts of the body skin flesh sinews bones some hard some soft are all shaped out of the same seed Psal. 139.13 16. Job 10.10 13. Much less are we able to foresee the works of Gods providence which are far off and exceeding deep Chap. 7.24 Therefore since we know not what shall be to morrow how God may dispose of our life or our estate how long he may continue unto us opportunities of doing good we ought not to defer or put off duty from time to time but while we have a present season to embrace it Chap. 9.10 Gal. 6.10 V. 6. In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening withold not thy hand for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that or whether they both shall be alike good He inferreth from the former doctrine of the uncertainty of future events an hortatory conclusion to be doing good on all occasions and to be assiduous and dililigent in the work which God hath set us to do whether all our labour take effect or no. The Lord being sometimes pleased to frustrate mens endeavours and to defer the success they expected from them First to try them whether they would persevere in their calling and continue therein with God though they had not alwayes alike incouragement 2. To teach them that successes depend not upon the labours of man but upon the will and free blessing of God And he persisteth in his former Metaphor of sowing seed meaning thereby First in particular works of charity and mercy to the poor as vers 1 4. 2 Cor. 9.6 Ps. 112.9 Secondly In general works of righteousness in our general or particular callings Prov. 11.18 Hos. 12.10 Thereby teaching us that works of mercy and righteousness do not perish but will bring forth an harvest of comfort and great reward unto those that abound in them Gal. 6.8 sow thy seed Do thine own work intend thine own calling intermix not thy self in things which belong not unto thee 2 Thess. 3.10 1 Thess. 4.11 Be liberal of thine own estate Ephes. 4.28 In the morning sow and in the evening withold not thine hand or let not thine hand rest or give over Begin betimes and be not weary of well doing but continue unto the end be alwayes doing of good morning and evening note the whole day from one end of it to the other Gen. 1.5 Dan. 8.14 Psal. 104.22 23. So Solomon bids us be in the fear of the Lord all the day long Prov. 23.17 It is to be understood of the morning and evening of a mans life which should be wholly consecrated to God Lam. 3.27 Eccles. 12.1 Psal. 92.14 Matth. 10.22 or of the morning and evening of a mans prosperity as soon as ever God giveth thee an estate begin to do good with it and be not weary of so doing but continue to the end God requires our charity to be set about on the first day of the week 1 Cor. 16.2 Gal. 6.9 10. The night is shut out of the time of working or of dâ—ty therefore
else The Soul is not filled riches may benefit the body and feed and cloath and comfort that but to the nobler part of man they can afford no satisfaction they do not bear any proportion at all They cannot hold the soul Luk. 12.19 20. They cannot help the Soul in a day of trouble Prov. 11.4 Zeph. 1.18 They cannot follow it into another World Psal. 49.17 They have no suteableness either in excellency or duration unto it V. 8. Fâ—r what hath the wise more then the fool c. This question is a denyal The Wise man hath nothing more then the fool Internal excellency there is in wisdom above folly Chap. 2.13 But here he speaketh with relation to wealth and the outward events of things in which regard the Wise man hath no peculiar prerogative above the fool The one fares as deliciously is cloathed as richly hath Lands and Revenues left him by his Ancestors as well as the other The wisest man can but provide for back and belly and such other conveniences as outward things are proper to supply and so much may he do who hath Wealth without Wit Outward things promiscuously happen unto all and beyond their own use they are not able to supply a wise man more then a fool what hath the poor which knoweth to walk before the living A poor man that lives hath the substantial benefit of outward things as well as the richest or the wisest What hath he lesse then the rich he knowes how to get his living and walk through his short time of life as well as the other Or what hath the poor wise man who by his industry and prudent conversing amongst men doth maintain himself more then the poor foolish man who makes a shift to live as well as the other to walk before the living That is to live decently and discreetly amongst men Chap. 4.15 Isa. 42.5 Psal. 56.13 Chap. 7.12 V. 9. Better is the sight of the eyes then the wandring of the Desire By the sight of the Eyes he meaneth things present and in possession which we have before us in our eye and in hand by the wandring or walking of the Soul he meaneth an insatiable and endlesse pursuit of the heart after thingâ— which we have not and cannot easily overtake So sight is opposed by the Apostle to Faith Because Sight looketh on things in possession Faith on things in expectation 2 Cor. 5.7 and so property or possession is before called the seeing of things with the eye Eccles. 5.11 And on the other side unsatisfied desires are expressed by wandring of the heart up and down Isa. 57.10 Jer. 2.25 14.10 when the minde is not stayed and fixed with contentment in its present condition but like a Bee flyeth from flower to flower from creature to creature to gather more This then is the plain meaning of these words It is better for a man quietly and contentedly to enjoy the things which he hath in present possession then to rove up and down and weary himself with anxious and unsatisfied desires after things which he hath not since the poor man hath as much the substantial and principal benefit of outward things as the Rich namely life and health and food convenient since the wisest man that is can fetch no more real good out of wealth then fools themselves do enjoy from it It is much more comfortable to enjoy what we have then endlesly to weary our selves in hoarding and hunting after more Matth. 6.25 31. This is the same in sense with that Chap. 4.6 but spoken here by Solomon as a remedy against covetous desires there by the sluggard as an apology for his laziness Though some would have it here understood in the person of a covetous Rich man As if he would answer Solomons question What good hath one more then another the wise then the fools the rich then the poor yes saith the covetous rich man he hath an Estate to look on the other is continually vexed with want and desires and it is much better to be in possession of a good Estate then to languish under poverty and be ever in a craving condition But the former sense is more genuine This also is vanity and vexation of spirit That is in the later sense It is a vain and troublesome thing to possess good things only to look on them and not to use them Or rather in the former sense the wandring of the fool up and down after new gain and denying it self the comfortable fruition of present contentments is vanity because much can do a man no more real good then a little cheerfully used and vexation of spirit because insatiable desires bring perpetual disquiet upon the heart of a man V. 10. That which hath been is namelâ— already He sheweth the vanity of wandriâ—â— desires and greedy endeavours after greâ—â—ter things then God hath yet afforded a maâ— for whatever things have been or are whâ—â—ther a man be rich or poor noble or 〈◊〉 his condition comes not unto him by chancâ— but is prae-assigned him in the purpose anâ— decree of God and therefore much bettâ—â— is it for him contentedly to enjoy what Goâ— gives then with a vain and ineffectual ambâ—â—tion to strive for things without his reaâ—â— Especially since no things acquireable 〈◊〉 humane industry can exempt or protect man from the evils or common miseriâ— which mankind is exposed unto Let 〈◊〉 grow as Rich as potent as Honourable the world can make him A man he was 〈◊〉 and he will be but a man still from earth he came and to earth he will go he lies under a decree of mortality and infirmity which by the help of no worldly wealth or greatness he is able to break through That which hath been The name of it is called already That is Its state quality order condition every thing belonging to the nature and being of it every thing externally happening unto it is all pre-ordained in the counsel and decree of God He by his immutable and irresistible providence hath assigned unto every one his order and doth 〈◊〉 his wisdome dispose of all things belongâ—ng unto men They are under his care and â—llowance and therefore ought not anxiâ—usly and sollicitously to insist upon proviâ—â—ons for the future but rather comfortably to â—â—joy things present and in a conscionable â—â—scharge of duty to wait for a like blessing 〈◊〉 providence of God for hereafter as ever â—â—fore they have had experience of Psal. â— 11 31 14 15. 1 Sam. 2.7 8. Act. 2. â— 4.28 and it is known that it is man Be his â—â—alth or honours what they will yet a frail â—â—rtal mutable earthly creature he is still â—he was before And though men have 〈◊〉 so dementated with worldly greatness 〈◊〉 take Divine honour to themselves and to think themselves lawless and exempted from the bonds of other men yet it is known and visible that they remain men still and so God will at last make them known
Whosoever chuseth any thing while he is yet alive he hath hope to compass and to effect his desire 2. By keeping to the written Text in the passive sense thus Whosoever shall be chosen unto any life or condition of life he may therein have hope which maketh a clear and a good sense The Adjective which we render Living being usually taken for the Substantive or abstract to wit for life as Gen. 2.7 Ps. 21.4 Prov. 18.21 Ps. 63.3 I take it the expression we find Isa. 4.3 may give light unto this place Every one that is written among the living To be chosen among the living here seems to be the same with being written amongst the living there It is an allusion unto Cities wherein there is a Matricula or Record kept of such as were Free-men whereunto the Scripture seemeth to allude Ps. 87.6 Ezek. 13.9 Heb. 12.23 Jer. 17.13 Luke 10.20 Ps. 4.3 For as the Elect are said to be written in the Book of life Dan. 12.1 Ps. 69.28 Rev. 17.8 21.27 22.19 so the living may be said to be elected unto life as all such Enrolements in the Records of a City do follow upon a preceding choice of the persons so enrolled for a living Dog is better than a dead Lion A proverbial speech whereby is meant that the basest and most contemptible person while he lives is in a better and more hopeful condition than the most honourable when he is laid in the dust The Scripture useth the Metaphor of a Dog to denote the vilest and most abject persons 2 Reg. 8.13 Matth. 15.16 Rev. 22.15 Phil. 3.2 as on the other side a Lion is the most noble of beasts Prov. 30.30 yet a dead Lion is exposed to the scorn of the weakest and most fearful creatures according to the Greek Epigram 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The lowest expression of a vile thing which the Scripture useth is A dead Dog 1 Sam. 24.14 2 Sam. 9.8 V. 5. For the living know that they shall dye By this knowledge they gain much if they rightly improve it For 1. Hereby they are perswaded to repent and to fit themselves to meet with the king of terrours 2. Hereby they are set seriously to consider how this unavoidable evil may be sweetned and sanctified unto them that they may comfortably desire to depart and to be with Christ which is best of all 2 Cor. 5.4 Phil. 1.20 3. Hereby they are excited unto duty with more vigor when they look on this as the day of grace as the time of light wherin only they can work Joh. 9.4 Isa. 38.18 19. Ps. 118.17 Job 14.14 Ps. 39.1.4 90.12 But 4. and which seems most pertinent unto this place knowing that they shall dye and that the present comforts of this world are for the use of the living only and not of the dead therefore they set themselves comfortably to enjoy the good blessings of God here while they have time to use them and by a cheerful and thankful enjoyment of present mercies to fit themselves for a happy dissolution For godliness teacheth us both quietly to enjoy the world and willingly to leave it when God calls but the dead know not any thing This is not spoken absolutely for the spirits of just men are made perfect and are with Christ but according to the subject matter in the context They know nothing of the things of the world or any outward comforts and blessings here below under the Sun they can no longer be delighted with the knowledge or fruition of earthly things Job 14. â—1 neither have they any more reward He speaketh not of the reward of a holy life for so the dead have a reward because their works do follow them Rev. 14.13 but he speaketh of the comfortable use of outward blessings as the only reward which worldly things can afford them for all their labour as it is more plainly expounded in the next verse and Chap. 3.22 5.18 19. 8.15 for the memory of them is forgotten They are wholly removed from all humane and worldly conversation with men their house their families their friends know them no more So far are they from enjoying and knowing outward things that the living do by degrees forget them Isa. 26.14 Job 10.8 9 10. V. 6. Also their love and their hatred and their envy is now perished He speaketh in relation to outward things living men meet here with objects of all sorts some lovely some hateful some things that they pity some that they envy But when they are dead they have no knowledge left of any such things and consequently no affections at all towards them And because it were endless to recount particulars therefore he concludeth in general That they have not any more a portion for ever in any thing under the sun They have not the possession the fruition so much as the contemplation of any worldly things They carry away nothing with them their glory their contents do not descend after them A covetous man doth no more dote upon wealth nor an ambitious man upon honour nor a sensual voluptuous man upon pleasure all their thoughts desires emulations perish therefore if ever we will enjoy the good blessings of God it must be while we live because there is no knowledge nor wisdome in the grave whither we go Ps. 49.17 Luke 12.20 Job 3.17 18 19. 7.7 10. V. 7. Go thy way eat thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart In as much as the dead neither know nor enjoy any of these worldly blessings and in as much as God gives them to his servants in love and as comfortable refreshments unto them in the daies of their vanity Therefore he exhorteth unto a cheerful fruition of them while we have time and liberty so to do that so the many other sorrows and bitterness which they shall meet with in this life may be mitigated and sweetned unto them He speaketh not as some conceivâ— of sensual epicurean and brutish excess but of an honest decent and cheerful enjoyment of blessings with thankfulness and in the fear of God Go thy way It is used adverbially as much as agâ— igitur eia Agedum by way of adhortation or encouragement as Gen. 19.32 Prov. 1.11 Eccles. 2.1 Isa. 1.18 55.11 Since in deâ—th thou canst have no love nor sense of any outward blessings therefore hearken to my counsel make use of thy time and enjoy mercies while thou maiest eat thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a good i. a merry heart As a sad heart is called an evil heart Neh. 2.2 1 Reg. 21.7 Ruth 3.7 Eccles. 7.3 Enjoy the fruit of thine own labours as Chap. 3.22 When he saith Thy bread wine c. he sheweth that our comforts and delights must be bounded within our own labours and possessions though stollen waters and bread of deceit may be sweet yet it hath gravel and bitterness in it at the last Prov. 9.17 18. 1 Thess.
Authors and this illustrated by many lively similitudes vers 8 9 10 11. 2. In regard of rebellious and foolish speeches contrary unto that gracious circumspection and decorum which wisdome would teach a man to observe in the which through the heat of passion a man usually proceedeth on from bad to worse vers 12 13 14. Concerning which he sheweth 1. The mischief which they bring vers 12. 2. The vanity and fruitlessness of them to the person that utters them vers 15. 3. The root of them ignorance of civil affairs and want of skill to converse with men vers 15. 4. The nature of them they begin in folly they end in madness they proceed in babling and multiplicity of words concerning things which a man cannot foresee or know any thing of them vers 13 14. 3. In regard of inward Thoughts and Affections concerning which he sheweth how little security a man can promise himself even in his most secret and in most projections of disloyalty in as much as God hath invisible and unexpected means to bring it all to light vers 20. And because Princes might haply hereupon think themselves free from all tye or duty towards their people because they should be free from all danger and rebellion from them He doth therefore further shew the necessary dependance which Prince and people mutually have in regard of Weal and Woe Thereby deterring Princes from Tyranny and misgovernment whereby they utterly subvert the end of Gods ordinance which was for the peace and prosperity of the people And also directing them unto the right means of Government and proper vertues requisite thereunto which are 1 Wisdome and maturity of judgement that he be not a child vers 16. 2. Nobleness of mind not only in regard of blood but chiefly in vertuous endowments raising the soul above all sordid base designs 3. Temperance and sobriety eating and drinking to strengthen unto duty not to disable or indispose unto it nor to incroach upon it vers 16 17. 4. Diligent attendance and superinspection over the house of the Common-wealth that there may be no ruptures in it but that all be sound and in good repair vers 18. 5. Moderation in delights not feast for laughter nor spend the life in mirth and drinking because excess in these will require a proportionable increase in money and treasures to maintain them whence will necessarily arise oppressions and extortions upon the people vers 19. Vers. 1. DEad flies cause the oyntment of the Apothecary to send forth a stinking savour so doth a little folly c In these words the wise man doth by an elegant similitude or proverbial speech illustrate what he had last spoken namely That one sinner destroyeth much good as one dead flie doth corrupt and mar a whole vessel of most pretious oyntment which in those Countries was had in great account 2 Reg. 20.13 It is here applyed unto a mans good name which is compared unto sweet oyntment Eccles. 7.1 Cant. 1.3 and as a flie though but a little creature can taint and corrupt much precious perfume a little mixture of folly and indiscretion will staiâ— and blemish the Reputation of a man otherwise very wise and honourable And this so much the rather because of the malignity and ingratitude of men who do more hastily censure one error then value many graces and with whom one small miscarriage doth blot out the memory of all other deservings as one little cloud doth serve to overshadow the whole body of the Sun Therefore it concerneth us to walk so much the more unblameably that we may not by the least oversight or folly blemish our profession or cause it to stink in the nostrils of others Gen. 34.30 Phil. 2.15 1 Tim. 6.1 2 Cor. 6.3 1 Pet. 2.15 much less by our leaven sour the whole mass and derive infection upon many others 1 Cor. 5.6 Gal. 5.9 Dead flies Flies of death the Genitive Case in the place of an Adjective Psal. 2.9 31.3 Rom. 7.24 Phil. 3.21 Judg. 7.13 2 Thess. 2.3 2 Pet. 2.1 This may be taken either actively flies which cause death as the plague of the Locusts is called death Exod. 10.17 poysonous flies which do render sweet oyntment deadly and mortiferous as instruments of death Pâ—al 7. 14. i. which do cause death Or else passively flies which are dead and by their putrifaction do taint the oyntment in the which they are drowned Dead flies do cause The Nown is plural and the Verb singular which may properly thus be rendred Any one of dead flies doth cause the oyntment to stink as Exod. 31.14 Rom. 1.20 Thereby intimating the great mischief and damage may be from very small causes cause to send forth a stinking savour Heb. maketh to stink exhaleth or belcheâ—â— forth thereby noting a continual Emanation of unsavouriness so that the stink dotâ— never cease or give over When two Verbs oâ— the same Tense come thus together Grammarians tell us that the former hath an adverbial signification as Jer. 13.18 Humblâ— your selves sit down i. sit humbly down Hos. 9.9 They have made deep they haâ—â— corrupted i. They have deeply corrupted Rom. 10.20 Esay is bold and saith i. speaketh boldly So here foetere fecit eructat i. foetide eructat Which is well rendred in our Version causeth to send forth a stink so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdome and honour The note of similitude is wanting as in many other places both in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Prov. 11.22 Jer. 17.11 Psal. 125.2 so doth a little folly Here is an Ellipsis of the Verb which is to be repeated out of the former member namely It causeth to send forth a stinking savour as Gen. 1.29 30. The more eminent any person is for wisdome and honour the more circumspect ought he to be in his conversation because a little folly and over-sight will much diminish his reputation as spots are soonest observed in the whitest and finest garments and envy like worms and moths doth usually feed on the purest cloath Neh. 6.11 Hierom and the Vulgar read the words to another sense Pretiosior est sapientia gloria parva aâ— tempus stultitia That sometimes a little folly is more pretious then wisdome and honour 1 Sam. 21.13 But this besides the grammatical incongruity holdeth no proportion to the former part of the verse whereunto it answereth and therefore is neglected by the best Interpreters V. 2. A wise mans heart is at his right hand but a fools heart at his left A like kind of proverbial form we had Chap. 2.14 The right hand is usually the most expedite and ready for action doth its work more surely more speedily more decently therefore the right hand is the dearest of the two Matth. 5.29 30. and it is noted as a thing strange and unusual when men have been left handed or able to use both hands alike Judg. 3.21 20.16 1
feet to walk in and to have the light shine on our wayes whatever relation we stand in or whatever imployment we are called unto Prov. 14.8 Heb. 12.13 Psal. 5.8 V. 16. Wo to thee O Land when thy King is a child thy Princes eat in the morning The Wise man is not onely careful to keep Subjects from rebellion and disloyalty which was the matter of the greatest part of the Chapter before but also to mind Princes of their duty that they be not wilful sensual tyrannous but that they manage their office with noblenesse of spirit with temperance and industry and that by a most mighty argument because They cannot be good or bad to themselves alone multitudes are concerned in it and the weal or woe of whole nations doth depend upon it A wicked Prince is a great argument of Divine displeasure against a whole people 1 Sam 8.6 18. Isa. 19.4 Job 34.30 Prov. 28.2 And a good Prince an argument of his Love and that he intendeth to blesse such a Nation 1 Reg. 10.9 when thy King is a child He meaneth not so much in age for many have in their tender years by the fear of God and the help of prudent Counsellors governed their people aright and some of them much better then afterwards 1 Reg. 3.7 12. compared with 1 Reg. 11.4 2 Chr. 24.2 3 17. 25.1 2 14 27 26.3 4 5 16. But in understanding in experience in manners when a man childishly suffereth the affaires of a Kingdome to be turned upside down to be broken to peices by his carelesnesse and through want of prudence skill to discern between right and wrong Ephes. 4.14 Heb. 5.13 Isa. 3.4 1. Cor. 14.20 Such a child was Rehoboam in the strength of his age A child of one and fourty years old 1 Reg. 14.21 2 Chron. 13.7 when a man is 1. Ignorant or forgetfull of his duty 2. Changeable and easily turned out of it with every perswasion 3. Passionate easily angry and fearful and accordingly alterable upon such sudden impressions 4. Sensual and given unto vain delights 5. Craving and covetous and so easily turned aside by gifts 6. Vain and subject to be flattered by those who know how to make a prey of him These and such like impotencies argue childishnesse in one that Governs The wise man instanceth in one principal of these viz. Sensuality in the next words And thy Princes eat in the morning Though the King be a child yet if he have prudent and vigilant Counsellours their care may recompence and supply his defects but where they likewise be as bad as he Prov. 29.12 where all other ministers of State follow onely their private gain and pleasure without any regard unto publick welfare no wonder if such a Nation have a wo hang over it eat in the moring Are riotous luxurious spend their whole time in sleep and excesse Rise not up unto service but unto delights consecrate the flower and best of their time which should have been given to God and to the publick to their own vanity and riot Jer. 21.12 Isa. 5.11 12. Hos. 7.3 4 5 6 Act. 2.15 Prov. 31.4 This is matter oâ— patience unto the afflâ—cted people vvheâ— they consider that God doth thus reprove Kings for their sake Psal. 105.14 V. 17. Blessed art thou O Land when thy King is the son of nobles and thy Princes eat in due season for strength and not for drunkennesse The son of nobles that is men trained up instructed and shaped with principles of true Nobility wisdome and holiness As a son of death of perdition of wrath is one devoted thereunto so a son of nobles is one nobly seasoned with principles of honour and Government As sons of God Gen. 6.2 men bred in the Church of God and under a godly Education sons of the Prophets sons of Physitians men bred in such professions of nobles From a word which signifieth whitenesse either because persons of honour did use to wear white rayments Esther 8.15 Rev. 3.4 sit in white thrones Rev. 20.11 ride on white asses Judg. 5.10 or to denote the purity of manners which should be in Rulers that they might be examples of all integrity unto others Rev. 19.8 By sons of nobles then he doth not understand men barely born of noble Parents and who have noble blood in their veins such an one likely might the child be of whom he spake in the former verse but as there he meant a child not in years but in manners and qualities as the words Presbyter Elder Ancient in the Scripture use do not so much signifie age as wisdom and authority so here he meaneth one noble as well in vertue as in blood and birth This is the true nobility when piety wisdome righteounesse courage and the fear of God do adorn the royal blood and render persons truly illustrious and not dark and obscure creatures as mean persons are Prov. 22.29 Deut. 1.13 Exod. 18.21 nobility of blood without nobility of vertue and holinesse addeth nothing to a Govenouâ— at all Psal. 16.3 47.9 87.3 4 5.6 110.3 Act. 17.11 and thy Princes eat in due season In the time of eating after they have spent their strength in duty As to every thing there is a fit time Eccles. 3.1 so to this particular of eating and drinking Psal. 145.15 Matth. 24.45 Labour and service should go before eating Luk 12.35 37. 17.7 8 9. Abrahams servant would not eat till he had done his businesse Gen. 24.33 and our Saviour preferred his own Fathers work before his own Refection Joh. 4.31 32. Sometimes even wicked men have been so intent on their wickednesse as to deny liberty of eating drinking and other refreshments to themselves till their designs were to be accomplished Act. 23.12 Prov. 4.16 and so we find Magistrates so serious in duty as to forbear eating and to forbid it even sometimes when it was necessary Ezra 10.6 1 Sam. 14.23 Temperance is in no calling more requisite then in the Calling of a Magistrate Prov. 31.4 Multitudes of businesses and those of greatest importment and such as do often require immediate consultation and dispatch and such are many times the affaires of States will not allow liberty of eating and drinking all delights must be laid aside to attend them Exod. 12.34.39 It was wickedly done by the King and Haman to sit down to drink when the City was in perplexity Ester 3.15 to let publick safety lye still while private luxury was served for strength and not for drunkennesse The end of eating is to repaire that strength which had been weakened in duty and so to enable unto the attendance upon duty again It ought not to be the end of our liing but onely a necessary means unto life and unto the services thereof And therefore Gluttony and Drunkenesse are to be avoyded as by all men because of many other evils which are in them so in special manner by Princes Rulers because they do totally indispose
while it is day while we have life and opportunity we must ply our duties Eccles. 9.10 Joh. 9.4 for thou knowest not whether shall prosper or whether will be most right or congruous the one or the other c. Thou maiest justly expect a blessing upon all however though the success as to men be not alwaâ—es prosperous sometimes thy bounty is misplaced upon those that abuse it or return evil for good yet with God constancy in well-doing will not miss of its reward and by this largeness heart thou maist unawares entertain Angels and bring extraordinary blessings upon thy family Matth. 10.14 42. Heb. 13.2 1 Reg. 17.13 16. V. 7. Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun By light and beholding the Sun we are to understand the time of this present life as is evident by what follows in the next verse so Job 3.20 33.30 and withall we may take in those pleasures and comforts thereof which serve to render it more sweet and contentfull Some make it to be a tacit objection against that continual labour which he before prescribed Since life is short we ought to use all the wayes we can to render it pleasant and not weary out our time and strength in continual toyl and labour it is much more sweet to enjoy the light and pleasures of life while we may 1 Cor. 15.32 whereunto they make the words of the next verse to be an answer That when death comes the good we have done will remain with us but all our pleasures and delights will vanish into nothing It may seem to relate unto the former verse as well as to that which follows sow your seed in the morning and in the evening so long as you have the light of the Sun to guide you for this is the chief comfort and sweetness of life to be doing good while we have time opportunity because the dayes of death and darkness are coming wherein we cannot work But it seemeth rather to be a Transition unto a new matter In the former parts of this book the Wise man had set forth the vanity of all outward things and had prescribed many gracious and excellent means to remedy the same and to frame the heart of man unto Tranquillity and peace But now when by these precepts the life of man here is rendred as full of comfort and quietness as an earthly condition is capable of yet though his life be never so sweet there are great evils coming which will require much meditation and preparation of hearâ— to fit a man for them and there is a far longer condition for the future which will abide us after this life is gone necessary therefore it is unto the compleating of that happiness whereinto he had all this while inquired to secure not only the comforts of this life but the assurance of a better which is the business of Solomon in the remaining part of this Book by a timely meditation of death and judgement and by the fear of God and keeping his commandments in our youth to arm us against the terror of future evils and to fit us for that happiness which is the whole of man and which will be throughly proportionable to his largest desires And so the meaning is this It is true indeed to enjoy the light of the Sun and the comforts of this present life is a very sweet thing Sensually sweet unto those who are voluptuous Solidly and substantially sweet unto those who by all the foregoing precepts have gotten wisdome to cure the vanity and vexation of spirit which otherwise outward things are apt to produce yet both the one and the other must remember that though life be sweet under the Sun yet it is not long much less perpetual dayes of darkness are to come therefore unto compleat happiness there is yet more to be done and such an estate to be secured as may bear full proportion to the capacities of an immortal soul and may make up the Whole of man Light is Sweet Sweetness here is that properly which is the object of our Taste Jâ—dg 14.18 Prov. 24.13 but it is usual in the Scripture to attribute that which is proper unto one sense to another as to see thunder Exod. 20.18 to see the smell â—f a field Gen. 27.27 It is a broken and concise sentence unto which something is to be added or understood it is indeed sweet to see the Sun life is pleasant but yet it is vanity and will end in death by the meditation whereof we are to abate our inordinate love of the profits and pleasures of so vanishing a condition V. 8. But if a man live many years and rejoyce in them all yet let him remember the dayes of darkness for they shall be many All that cometh is Vanity Though it be a sweet thing to enjoy life and the comforts thereof and though a man should live long and all that long life should have his full of worldly delights yet the serious meditation of death and the long abode we shall after all those pleasures have in the house of darkness will sufficiently demonstrate the vanity of Temporal life how long or how prosperous soever it have been such a life we find described Job 21.7 13. By dayes of darkness are understood in opposition to light and the seeing of the Sun in the former verse that space of time wherein men shall lie in the dust Psal. 88.12 13. Psal. 143.3 Eccles. 6.4 Job 10.21 for they shall be many This some apply to the first words of the verse though the dayes of life be mâ—ny yet let a man remember the dayes of darkness and that will make him judge all things which happen in this world to be but vanity we may likewise read the words thus If a man live many years let him rejoyce in them all he is not debarred the comforts and contents of them but let him withall temper and moderate the joyes of life with the meditation of death and know that every thing which hapneth that every man which cometh into the world is vanity V. 9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thine heart cheer thee in the dayes of thy youth and walk in the wayes of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement Since all that cometh is vanity as well youth as age both which he sheweth here and in the next Chapter And since the dayes of life and jollity here how long soever are very short and inconsiderable in comparison of the dayes of darkness which follow after them he therefore perswadeth those who are most subject to be transported with the pleasures of life to remember death and judgement and thereby to restrain their inordinate desires A young Epicure who is scornfull and impatient of such cooling and chill doctrines as those of death and judgement might be