9 life. : M.i9:7., 29 * The poor is hated c even of his own neigh- {cb,ma- bour 4; but Þ the rich beth many Friends, yy are the c 7. e. Deſpiſed and abandoned, as hateful Perſons and Things Iver: of the are. d Strictly ſo called, who is neareſt to him, either by habitation - Rich, or by Relation, and therefore moſt obliged to love and. help him. 21 He that deſpiſeth his neighbour c, finneth 4: *
?.112:9. grt.he that hath mercy e on the poor, happy 3s he F
e-That dothnot pity and relieve thePoor, as this is explained in the next Clauſe: the word Neighbour being here generally taken for any Man, as it is moſt commonly uſed in Scripture ; which not relieving him, proceeds from a contempt of his Perſon. 4 And therefore ſhall be puniſhed for his inhumanity, which is oppoſed to his being happy in the next Clauſe. e That ſheweth his compaſſi- on by his bounty and relief. f He doth a worthy Action, and ſhall be blefſed in his deed. ;
22 Do they not errg thatdeviſe h evil; ? but mercy
. and truth & ſal be to them that deviſe good /.
g They do certainly err from the right way, and miſtake their mark, and ſhall miſs of that advantage and Felicity which they pro- mile to themſelves by ſuch practices, þ That do not only com- mit it, but make it their detign and ſtudy, and buſineſs; that are Artiſts or Maſters in it, as the word ſignifies. # Either, 1. miſchief to men. Or 2. any kind of wickedneſs againſt God or Men; for the expreſſion is general : and this ſeems beſt to agree to the fol- lowing Clauſe. & Either,1. from Men ; Men ſhall deal truely and kindly with them, partly becauſe ſuch Men by their carriage o- blige them to do ſo, and partly becauſe God inclineth their hearts to ir, Or 2. from God, to whom theſe two properties are jointly aſcribed in divers places of Scripture. | That delignedly and in- duſtriouſly apply themſelves to the doing ofall good Offices to God
and men. : 23 In all labour there is profit ; but tae talk of the
lips tendeth onely to penury m. - Dil1gent labour is the ready way to Riches, bur idle talking,
wherein too many ſpend moſt of their pretious time, will bring a
Man to poverty. NO 24 "The crown of the wiſe is their riches»; but the
fooliſhneſs of fools 3s folly o.
» They are a ſingular advantage and ornament tothem, partly as they make their Wiſdom more regarded, when the poor Mans Wiſdom 55 deſpiſed, Eccleſ. g. 16. and parily as they give a Man great op- portunity to diſcover and exerciſe his Wiſdom or Vertue by laying out his Riches to the honour and ſervice of God, and to the great and manifold good of the World ; which alſo highly tends to his own Glory and Happineſs. os Bur as for rich Fools, for ro them the general word is to be reſtrained from the oppoſite Clauſe, their Folly is not cured, but made worſe and more manifeſt by their Rich- es. Their Riches find them Fools, and leave them Fools ; they are not a Crown, but a Reproach to themzand an occaſion of their greater
contempt. For the Phraſe, we have the like in the Hebrew Text,
1Sam. 1. 24. The Child Samuel was a Child . It is an clegant Fi- | gure called antanaclaſis uſed in all Authors«
erl. ful witneſs ſpeaketh lies 9.
p 1:6. Perſons, to wit, ſuch asare innocent from the miſchief of falſe Accuſations, by declaring the truth, which is ſufficient for their vindication. 9 To the injury and deſtruction of the Inno- cent ; which is eaſily underſtood out of the former Clauſe, and from the practice of falſe Wirneſles:
26 In the fear of the LORD #s ſtrong confidence r ;
and his children s ſhal have a place of refuge.
r Aſure ground of confidence ; or a ſtrong refuge, as the next Clauſe explains it. 5 Either, r. God's Children. Or, 2. the Chil- dren of them thatfear God, who are ſufficiently underſtood out of the former Clauſe,
27 * The fear of the LORD 3s a fountain of life, to depart from the ſnares of death 7. # To preſerve Men from deadly and deſtructive courſes. 28 Inthe multitude of people zs the kings honour #; but in the want of people is the deſtrution of the
Prince.
s Becauſe it is an evidence of his wiſe and good Government. Under honour he here comprehends alſo ſtrength ad ſafety, ( as appears from the. oppoſite Clauſe ) which depends much upon a Princes Reputation. | And honour may be here put for ſtrength, as ſtrength is put for Honour or Glory, Pſal: 8; 2; and 29. 1. and
p |
Cu1g.12,
96. 7. | 29 He that is ſlow to wrath is of great underſtanding x: Meb:hore but be that is F haſty of ſpirit, exaltech y folly.
s Mirit, x Sheweth great and true Wiſdom ia conquering his ſinful and ſhameful paſſions. y Heb: lifteth wp, like a Banner, makes it known
and viſible to all men. | : 30 A ſound heart z is the life of the fleſh a ; but en-
vy the rottenneſs of the bones 5.
improving it, delighting and glorying in it. In like manner Da- wid took God's Teftimonies for his Heritage, Pſal. 119+ 111: where | commonly called the diſeaſes of the Soul, not only in ſacred, but even
P ROF EB k BY
D—
25 * A true witneſs delivereth Souls p ; buta deceit-
-ever, and much more of a Father.
\
Chap. z Free from envy and ſuch like inordinat Paſſions, which are
in Heathen Writers. Or, as cthers render it, An healing Heart, mild, and merciful, and kind to others, which is oppoſed to en- vy. # Procureth and maintaineth the health and vigor of the whole Body. 6 It waſteth the Spirits, and conſumeth even the ſtrongeſt and moſt inward parts of the Body. |
31 * He that oppreſleth the poor c, reproacheth his maker &: but he that honoureth him e, hath mercy on the poor f.
c That uſeth him hardly, as the Syriack renders it ; that with- holdeth from him that which is his due, either by the Rules of ſtri& Juſtice, or by the great Law of Charity, of which ſee Prov. 3. 27. and ſo it is oppoſed to having mercy in the next Clauſe. 4 Whoſe I- mage the poor Man bears, which might challenge Reſpe&; Job: 31. 15. by whoſe Counſel and Providence he is made poor ; 1 Sam: 2. 7. Prov: 22. 2, and who hath declared himſelf to be their Prote- Qtor and Avenger, e His Image and works, and Laws. f Dothnor only forbear oppreſling or injuring of him, buraffoords him his pi- ty and help. | , ,32 The wicked is drivenaway g in his wickedneſs h; 1
but the righteous hath hope 7 in his death &. *Job rail