wne, tural and eſſcnrial to me, for the word properly ſignifies «ſence, e By my nature and eſſence, as was now laid, Or, I am the Author of Underſtanding ; as Job; 17. 3. This is life eternal, i. e. this is the cauſe or means of it. f Courage and reſolution to execute all my
Counſels. and to conquer all difficulties. : : "'Dan:2;2e, I5 * By me kings reign g, and princes decree ju-
Romag, x. ſtice þ. g Either, r. They get their Kingdoms by mine appointmentand providence. Or rather, 2. They rule their Kingdoms wiſely, and juſtly, and happily by my counſel and affiſtance. For this belt ſuits with the next Clauſe, þ Their unjuſtice or wickedneſs is from themſelves, but all the juſt and good things which they do, they
owe to my conduct. { 16 By me princes rule, and nobles, ewes all the jud-
ges of the earth. 17 I love them that love me z, and * thoſe that ſeek
me early & ſhall find me.
z I do not deſpiſe their love, though it be but a ſmall and incon- ſiderable thing to me, bur I kindly accept it, and will recompence it with my love and favour. & 7. e. With fincere affeftion, and great diligence, and above all other perſons or things in the world. Which he mentions as the effect and evidence oftheir love : for Otherwiſe all men pretend to love God.
Jar, Fo
| "Che 3: 26, 18 * Riches and honour are wich me : yea, durable q Or, © riches and righteouſneſs /. rear I Which he mentions here, either, r. as the beſt and ſureſt way | Pſal:62:9 to get and to keep Riches, for E:tates unjuſtly gotten quickly va= } Or, # Niſh, as is manifcft both from Scripture and from common obſerva j mean mt tion. Or, 2. To tignifie that chis Wiſdom gives both worldly, and } ,
Ipiritual or Heavenly bleſſiags together ro its tollowers, wacreas ; God gives Riches alone co ungodly men, and they are to expect no :
other Portion, %
5 Oyetmple z, underſtand f Wiſdom ; and ye fools |
4 x
Chap *Chl [oc
__
19 * My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice filver. 20 I |[lead in the way of righteouſneſs, in the midſt
of the paths of judgment m. Fg Keeping at an equal diſtance from both extreams, and from the very borders of them : which is called a pur:/ng away iniquity far Jjrom 5, Job 22: 23.
21 that I may cauſe thoſe that love me, to inherit
ſubſtance », and T will fill their treaſures.
z Subſtantial, and true, and ſatisfying happineſs : which is here Oppoſed to all worldly enjoyments, which are ſaid net ro be, Prov. 23. 5- which are bur meer ſhadows and dreams of feliciry.
22 The LORD poſſeſſed me oin'the beginning þ of
his way q, before his works of old.
9 As his Son by Eternal Generarion, who was from eternity w:rh- him, as is laid, Joh. 1. 1. and in him as he alſo was in me, Joh, 14: 10. ; Yca, and before the beginning, as it is largely exp-eſſed in the z01lowing Verſes. q Either, 1. of his Counſels or decrees. Or rather, 2. of his works of Creation, as it follows.
23 I was ſetupr from everlaſting, from the begin-
ning s, or ever the earth # was.
r Heb: anointed, ordained or conſtituted to be the Perſon by whom the Father reſolved to do all his works, firſt to creat, and then ro uphold and govern and judge, and afterwards to redeem and fave the World ; all which works are particularly aſcribed to the Son of God,as is manifeſt from, Joh: r. 1,&c. Col.1. 16, t7.Heb.r. 3. and many other places, as we may ſee hereafter in their ſeveral places. 5 Before which there was nothing but a vaſt Eternity, # Which he mentions, becauſe this together with the Heaven , was the firſt of God's viſible works.
24 When there were no depths. «, T was brought forth x: whenthere were no fountains abounding with Water.
#u No abyſs or deep waters either mixed wich the Earth, as they _ at firſt, or ſepafated from it. x Begotten of my Fathers ef-
nce.
25 Before the Mountains were þ ſettled y ; before the
hills, was I brought forth. 2 Or, fxed by their Roots in the Earth. | 26 While as yet he had not made the earth #5, nor | the || fields «, nor || the higheſt part þ of the duſt of the | Or, of
world c. place, |
Z tee, The dry land called earth after it was ſeparated from the || Or, £4
atcrs, G:n. 1.10. & Theplain and open parts of the Earth Uiſtin. *P«f par guiſhed from the Mountains and Hils, and the Valleys incloſed be. Hebyhe tween them. b Or, the fir# part,or beginning: or,che beſt part, Heb the Head: that which exceeds other parts in riches or fruitfulneſs* which he ſeems to diſtinguiſh from the common Fields. c Of this Lows er part of the World which conſiſteth of duſt.
27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there d :
when he ſer|] a compaſs upon the face of the depth e. ||Or, 4
4 Not as an idle Spe&aror, but as a co-worker with my Father, ices, e 2. e. Of thar great and deep abyſs of water and Earth mixed to= gether, which is called both EZarch and Water and rhe deep, Gen. 1,2. When he made this lower world round, or in the form of a Globe agrecable to the form of the upper world.
28 When he eſtabliſhed f + the clouds above ; when
he ſtrengthnedthe fountainsg of the deep 6. + Heb 2h! f Heb frengthned, by his word and decree, which alone upholds **7. the Clouds in the Air, which of themſelves are thin and weak Bo« dies, and would quickly be diffolved or diſperſed. g When he ſhut up the ſeveral Fountains in the Cavities of the Earth, and kept them there as1t were by a ſtrong hand for the uſe of Mankind. bþ Which have their Original frong the deep, either from the Sea, or from the Avyſs of Waters in the Bowels of the Earth. Pp. 29 * When he gave co the ſea his decree i, chart the w. ©
waters ſhould not paſs his commandment &; when he Jobzs8: io,