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a difference between thy neighbour and thee, take him aside, and in a friendly manner argue the matter with him alone, and discover not a secret unkindness to a third person, till there is no other way of reconciliation.

11. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.] The general design of this sensence is to express the value of a word of counsel, reproof, or comfort, delivered in due time and place.

14. Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift, is like clouds and wind without rain.] He that promises much, and performs little or nothing, is like a cloud that makes a shew of rain which it cannot yield.

15.—a soft tongue breaketh the bone.] The meaning is, a gentle answer softens the hardest heart.

16.-eat so much as is sufficient for thee,] That is, eat no more than is sufficient for thee. Moderation in our pursuits and enjoyments is here recommended.

22.-thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head,] That is, if he is not softened by thy kindness, he shall have so much the sorer punishment.

CHAP. XXVI.

Verse 2.-the curse causeless shall not come.] Curses which fly out of mens' mouths causelessly shall not tall where they were intended.

4, 5. Answer not a fool according to his folly, &c.] In the first of these verses, the meaning is, Enter not into contest with a fool. In the second, Suffer not his folly to go unreproved: both to be determined by times and circumstances.

6.-cutteth off the feet, and drinketh_damage.] He that sends a message by a fool, had as good send nobody, and can only expect to receive damage.

8. As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, &c.] The honour bestowed upon a fool is thrown as the stone from the sling.

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9. As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, &c.] It is no more fit for fools to meddle with a wise speech, than for a drunken man to handle thorns.

23. Burning lips &c.] "Warm lips," that is, lips making warm and eager professions, and a deceitful heart.

25.-there are seven abominations in his heart.] That is, a great variety of secret wickedness.

28. A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it;] A liar hates those whom he has wronged by his falsehoods.

CHAP. XXVII.

Verse 3.-a fool's wrath is heavier &c.] More troublesome.

5. Open rebuke is better than secret love,] He that rebukes others freely, when need requires, is a more valuable friend than he who from fear of offending has not courage to tell them of their faults.

6.- the wounds of a friend;] The reproofs of a friend.

10.-better is a neighbour that is near than a brother fur off] Better is a neighbour that is near to one in true friendship and affection, than a brother that is only near in kin, but far off in affection.

14. He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, &c.] That is, lavishes on him flattering and unseasonable commendations.

16. Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, &c.] A man may as well attempt to prevent the wind from being perceived, or the perfume of ointment, as to check the spirit of a contentious woman.

19. so the heart of man to man.] So he that looks into his friend's heart, sees there his own.

21.—so is a man to his praise.] So may the cha racter of a man be discovered, by trying how he can bear praises, which will soon shew either the modesty or vanity of the miud.

22. Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mor tar, &c.] So incurable is the folly and wickedness of some men, that though to reproofs you should add blows, they would not grow wiser or better.

CHAP. XXVIII.

Verse 2.-many are the princes thereof:] The wickedness of a land is the cause of many changes in the princes and governors thereof.

3. A poor man that oppresseth the poor &c.] A rich oppressor leaves a man poor, but a poor oppressor leaves to him nothing.

4.-praise the wicked:] Give encouragement to wickedness.

9.-from hearing the law,] That is, from obeying it. "Even hisprayer shall be abomination;" however men of impious lives may trust to the forms of outward devotion, frequenting the church and service of God, and hearing His word and receiving His sacrament; let them not deceive themselves; God is not mocked. All this is so far from making amends for the impiety of their lives, that on the contrary, the impiety of their lives spoils all the acceptance of their devotious.

12.-a man is hidden.] Good men are forced to hide themselves.

14.-Happy is the man that feareth alway:] Who always fears God, and is cautious of offending Him.

20.-he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent. That is, he who is so eager to gain wealth, that he hesitates not to use unjust meats to obtain it.

24.-is the companion of a destroyer.] Is, for the heinousness of his sin, in the next degree to a murderer.

27. he that hideth his eyes] He that will not regard the miseries of others.

CHAP. XXIX.

Verse 1. hardeneth his neck,] Refuses to be guided by reproofs, and to submit to them. 8.-bring a city into a snare:] Bring down judgments upon the city where they live.

9.-whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.] Whether a wise man deal with him seriously and severely, or jestingly, he will not be able to prevail either for his own peace or the other's comfort.

10.-seek his soul.] Labour to preserve him. 13. The poor and the deceitful man meet together: &c.] The innocent poor man, and the crafty griping usurer, meet both together; and the Lord causeth His sun to shine on them both, doing good outwardly even to the worstdeserving.

18. Where there is no vision,] Where there is none to instruct the people, and expound the will of God to them.

24.-he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not.] He hears men urged with oaths respecting the theft, and yet keeps his wicked counsel, and discovers not the malefactor.

26.-but every man's judgment cometh from the Lord.] Men eagerly solicit the favour and protection of princes, but they forget God, who is the Supreme Judge both of prince and people.

CHAP. XXX.

Verse 1. The words of Agur &c.] The proverbs of Agur, in this chapter, and those of Lemuel in the next, are added to the proverba of Solomon on account of their similarity. "The prophecy” in this verse, means the weighty sentences.

2. Surely I am more brutish than any man, &c.] It would appear that his scholars came to him admiring his wisdom, and desiring to be resolved in many difficulties; to whom Agur modestly and humbly replied, 'Do not call me wise, for I am so far from that acuteness which is natural to one excelling in wisdom, that I am stupid in comparison with such a person.

4. Who hath ascended up into heaven, &c.] This verse expresses the general inability of man to enter into the secret operations of God in controling the elements, &c.

G.-lest-thou be found a liar.] Be found guilty of the worst of forgeries in counterfeiting Divine inspiration.

8.-give me neither poverty nor riches;] He prays neither for riches nor poverty, but for a middle state between both. All conditions of life are so far indifferent that a man may be good, and ought to be contented and resigned in any of them, yet, if it were matter of choice, the middle is the easiest and most desirable.

9. Lest I be full, and deny thee,] Lest too much plenty make me worldly-minded, profane, and irreligious.

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and take the name of my God in vain.] That is, have recourse to perjury to clear myself from the charge of theft. Lest poverty tempt me to steal, and stealth involve me in perjury. Among the Jews it was the custom to offer an oath to those who were suspected of theft, and who were thus to clear themselves.

11. There is a generation &c.] There are four descriptions of men (verse 11-14.) worthy of our avoidance and detestation; the first is of graceless children who curse their parents, the next of hypocrites and self-righteous persons, the third of proud men who are exalted in their own opinions, the fourth of cruel oppressors who devour the poor, &c.

15. The horseleach hath two daughters,] The horseleach, which is so insatiable that it will suck the blood of other creatures till it bursts, " hath two daughters," that is, there are two things, which, for their insatiableness, are so like her, that they may be called her daughters.

There are three things-yea, four things &c.] This is expressed after the manner of the Hebrews, who often, when intending to mention several things, separate them at first, beginning with lesser number, and proceeding then to the greater. 18.-which I know not:] That is, cannot account for, or explain.

20.-she eateth,] A modest way of expressing her unlawful connexion.

22.-a fool when he is filled with meat;} A man of no principles, when pampered and brought in affluent circumstances.

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32. If thou hast done foolishly-lay thine hand upon thy mouth.] If thou hast felt the emotions of pride, or entertained a wicked thought, add not to thy sin by uttering it.

CHAP. XXXI.

Verse 2. What, my son?]

"What terms shall I employ, my son?" To shew her son what anxiety she feels to see him wise and happy, she expresses that she knows not how to begin to point out to him his duties, and the dangers he ought to avoid.

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8. Open thy mouth for the dumb &c.] Speak for them that are not able to speak for themselves, and plead for them that are undeservedly marked out for destruction.

14. She is like the merchant's ships;] By exchange of what is made by her own care at home, she procures such foreign goods as her family needs, and her own country does not afford, 21.-her household are clothed with scarlet.] Or rather," with double garments."

23. Her husband is known in the gates,] He is known as her husband; as a man blessed with such a wife.

29. Many daughters have done virtuously, &c.] Her husband will extol her worth and virtue above other women, saying, Other wives have done and deserved well, but thou surpasseth them all.

30. Favour is deceitful,] That is, gracefulness of shape and behaviour.

NOTES

ON

Ecclesiastes; or, The Preacher.

THE Book of Ecclesiastes, or the Preacher, is the work of Solomon; and it is supposed to have been written by him, upon his awakening to repentance, after he had been seduced, in the decline of life, to idolatry and sin. The main object of this Book is to set forth the vanity of worldly pursuits, and the insufficiency of earthly enjoyments to satisfy the desires of man; not however with any design to excite in us a disgust at life, but to induce us to prepare for that state where there is no vanity. The Book may be divided into two general parts; the first, comprising the six first chapters, in which Solomon shews that all things relating to this world only are vain and perishing, and therefore can afford no true, or solid, or lasting satisfaction; the second, comprising the six last chapters, in which he shews that piety is the only means, by which we can attain true and lasting happiness. This Book is highly useful, and we cannot study it too diligently, For the author treats his subject in such a manner as first to draw us from the desire and love of earthly things, and from the perverse use of them; and then to lead us to the true and lawful use of them; without either offence to God or injury to ourselves. And he teaches us how we may, without an excessive solicitude and auxiety about events, enjoy all things in the fear of God, with tranquillity and satisfaction of mind at present; and at last, by the same fear of God and observance of His commandments, arrive at a never-ending felicity. The conclusion of the whole matter" is, that we are to "fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole duty of man."

CHAP. I.

Verse 2. Vanity of vanities,] Things here below, at least comparatively with things above, are extremely vain and empty, or unsuitable to give solid and lasting satisfaction. In the expression that all is vanity," the wise man principally refers to the labours of mankind, about the things of the present world; and must be understood, not as absolutely condemning the things themselves, or our pursuits about them, but only as the one may be in some cases unsuitable, and the other irregular or excessive.

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cannot supply what is deficient, in any condition of life.

17.-to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly I set myself to inquire into the meanest as well as greatest matters, for instance, to mark the actions and occupations of fools and madmen, as well as those of wiser persons.

18. For in much wisdom is much grief: &c.] Meaning that, though knowledge is the most excellent of earthly goods, yet the possession of it is insufficient for our happiness, and is often attended with trouble and vexation.

CHAP. II.

Verse 2. I said of laughter, &c.] Meaning excessive laughter, dissolute and frantick merriment.

3.and to lay hold on folly, &c.] That is, not altogether to follow the study of wisdom, nor yet altogether to pursue pleasure, but to mix them together;" till I might see," &c. that is, till I might sufficiently try whether herein lay that so much desired good, which men pursue here all their lives.

8.-the peculiar treasure of kings &c.] Whatever was choice and precious in other kingdoms, and especially in those countries which were subject to me.

12.-for what can the man do that cometh after the king?] For who is there that can give a better account than I the king, who have had such advantages, beyond any private man, so that, I am confident, they who come after can pass no better judgment on things than I do now.

14. The wise man's eyes &c.] A wise man looking around him and before him, is cautious and well aware of danger, into which the fool, blinded with the sottish love of pleasure, falls rashly and inconsiderately. Yet, with all his circumspection, he is not able to avo nany calamities which are common to all manking.

17. Therefore I hated life; &c.] I became quite out of love with this life, because the toil attending it is grievous; and yet, after all, it affords no solid or lasting satisfaction.

20. Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair &c.] I left off expecting to attain solid satisfaction from all my earthly labours..

24. There is nothing better for a man, &c.] He here teaches, that all the benefit of mere human labour is the moderate and sober enjoyment of what we have acquired by it. For the truth of which, he says in the next verse, you may rely on my experience.

CHAP. III.

Verse 3. A time to kill,] A time, whether in a

just war, or in a peaceable execution of justice, in which it is warrantable to kill.

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7. A time to rend and a time to sew;] The rending" here mentioned refers to the Eastern mode of expressing sorrow, by rending the clothes. The "sewing" is designed as the opposite to it, and may mean the making up of new garments, for a time of rejoicing.

9. What profit hath he that worketh, &c.] What stability or lasting profit can a man expect from that which he does, since there is such a changeable vicissitude in all actions and events?

11.-also he hath sei the world in their heart, &c.] God has given man ability to discern or judge of events in part, and to conclude that there is a like beauty in all events, though never so opposite, and we are not able to find it out, because so short is our life here," that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to to the end," that is, no one can find out what respect the present changes have to the changes that have been afore him or will be after him.

12.-but for a man to rejoice, and to do good] So true it is that the pleasure of doing good remains after a thing is done, the thoughts of it lie easy in our minds, and the reflexion upon it afterwards ministers to us, even after, joy and delight. In this passage Solomon, after all his experience of worldly pleasures, pitches at last upon this as the greatest happiness of human life, and the only good use which is to be made of a prosperous fortune.

19. For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; &c.] Among the passages of this book with which, for want of discerning the true design and scope of it, vain and wicked persons would encourage themselves in their follies and impiety, is this, from verse 19 to 21, "that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts," &c. as if the end of man and beasts were the same, and therefore men might lead sensual lives, like beasts, without concern for the future ; whereas Solomon, speaking of" the estate of the sons of men," (verse 18.) not in the next world but in this, pursues his main purpose, in shewing the vanity of earthly things and designs, that, whatever content or satisfaction men may propose to themselves in this world, all is but vanity, they are in many respects like the beasts, they draw in the same air, their breath will fail them, they will die and be turned to dust as well as the beasts. Yea, so vain is man, and so like the beasts as to outward appearance, that, although when he dieth "his spirit shall returu unto God," and he shall be judged in order to be rewarded suitably to his deeds (verse 17. and chap. xii. 7, 14.) yet no one knoweth "the spirit of man that goeth upward," &c. that is, no one can experimentally,

or by sense and reasoning, discern a man's soul that ascends or goes upwards, any more than that of the beast which descends or goes downwards: so great is man's ignorance of such matters. This thought should wean us from too much care for the future, and make us thank God for our portion in this world, disposing us to do good with it to others, and to enjoy it without solicitude.

22.—that a man should rejoice in his own works;} That he should make a cheerful use of God's good blessings, as the only fruit and alleviation which the earth will afford of all his painful labours here.

CHAP. IV.

Verse 2. Wherefore I praised the dead &c.] Reflecting on the various oppressions which were so frequent in the world, Solomon considered those persons happier who were out of it, than those who still lived in it.

5.-enteth his own flesh.] Consumes his own substance.

8. There is one alone, &c.] In opposition to (character of the idler, he here introduces (ver. 8--12.) the character of an indefatigable covetous man, who, having nobody with whom to share his fortune, cannot resolve either to leave off heaping up riches, or quietly to enjoy what he has already acquired.

9.-because they have a good reward for their labour.] How much wiser, Solomon says, is he who not only enjoys what he has himself, but takes others into his society for purposes of common counsel and mutual assistance. and of mutual participation in the good things which God has given him! "Two are better than one;" implying generally, that society is productive of much comfort and benefit.

15. I considered all the living &c.] If what is mentioned at verse 13, 14. happen not to a king, I have seen, be adds, another great unhappiness which more usually befalls kings; namely, their being left with only the bare title of royalty, while the hearts and affections of the kingdom incline to "the second son," that is, to the child who was second to him, or heir of the kingdom.

16.-they also that come after shall not rejoice in him.] They shall in like manner slight the present heir when he comes to be old, and pay court to his son or heir, as they now do to him.

CHAP. V.

Verse 1. Keep thy foot when thou goest &c.] When you go to the house of God, let your whole deportment there be such as best suits the sacredness of the place, and the majesty of Him to whom it is dedicated.

be more ready to hear, &c.] Be more ready to hear practically, that is, to obey the commandments of God, than barely to offer outward sacrifice, without giving due care to lead also a holy life.

2. Be not rash with thy mouth, &c.] When thou art going to pray, recollect thyself, consider that thy Creator is great, and wise, and good above all, and thou a poor dependant mortal being; weigh thy expressions, think before thou speakest, and take heed to use few words, and to ask for nothing improper.

3. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; &c.] For, as in a multitude of business, there will be troublesome and confused dreams, so in a multitude of words there will be futility and errour.

6. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin;] Do not entangle thy life with a rash vow, which the frailty of human nature may impel thee afterterwards to break.

-neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error:] Think not to excuse yourself before God, for not performing your vow, by saying that it was a mistake, and you did not mean what was said.

14. But those riches perish by evil travail: &c.] Besides, these riches often perish by some disaster, so that the son, whom he thought to have left possessed of abundance of wealth, hath nothing left to support him.

18.-it is good and comely-to eat and to drink,] When Solomon utters this expression, it is suthciently clear his meaning cannot be that we should give way to sensuality and pleasures. His meaning is only this, that, when God gives us wealth, we ought to be content with it, to receive and pos sess it as His gracious gift, and use it with sobriety and gratitude.

CHAP. VI.

Verse 2.-God giveth him not power to cut thereof,] God, in his just judgment, permits him to be so far overruled by his covetous temper, that he has not. power or heart to eat thereof for fear he should come to want; and so he leaves his wealth, and perhaps a stranger becomes master of it, and eateth it," or lives plentifully upon it.

3.-and his soul be not filled with good, And he will not allow himself what is fitting while he lives.

7. All the labour of man is for his mouth, &c.] All the labour of man that is necessary to be taken is only for his mouth, or what is required to sugtain him; and yet the appetite of the covetous is never satisfied.

8.-what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk &c.]

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