dered nor foreſeen by Man's, but only by God's Providence, and , therefore |
Chap. XX
Chap.
Pl:ro1 F, @ Go Vers 3
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Chap. XXT. FF -
therefore men ſhould only mind the doing of their duty, and then
quietly depeny UPON God for a good Iſſac to their end-avours. : 25 It is a ſnare » tO the man who devoureth that which
is holy o and after vows to make enquiry p. 1 It brings guilt and God's curſe and vengeance upon him. 0 2: e: Thoſe Meats or drinks which were devoted or conſecrated to God,
Sacre or dedicared things from Gd to a Man's private uſe or bene- fir : Of which ſee Lev: 27. 9. Dent: 23: 21, Mal: 3:8, go As 5: 1. &c. p Affer man hatii made Vows to conſider whether he can poſſibly, or may lawfully keep them and to invent or enquire of 0- thers all ways poſſible to break his Vow.and to ſatisfie or deceive his Conſcienc? mm fo doing. Which enquiry is juſtly cenſured as a lin and {nare,becauſc it is an evidence of a covetous or irreligious Mind,& is the ready way and firſt ſtep rowards the open violation of 1t.
26 * A wiſe King q ſcattereth r the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them s.
q Who ſeriouſly minds his Duty and his true intereſt. » Breaks their Companies and Confederacies,and forceth them to flee levera' ways for their own ſafety ; driverh them from his preſence,and from the Society of honeſt men,as the Chaff is by the Husbandman lepa- rated from the Corn, and driven away by the wind, of which this Hebrew word is commonly uſed; and to which the next Clauſe hath ſome reference. 5 As the Cart- wheel was anciently turned overthe Sheaves to beat the Corn out of them, 1ſa: 28: 27, 28. He puniſheth them ſeverely, as their offences deſerve. This or ſuch like puniſh ments were not unuſual among the Eaſtern Nations, as we may ga- ther from, 2 Sam: 8: 2. & 12; 31. Amos 1. 3.
27 The ſpirit : of a man zs the || candle « of the
LORD x, ſearching all the inward parts of the belly y.
f 1: e; The reaſonable Soul, « Is a clear and gloricus light ſet vp in Man for bis information and direCtion. x $o called partly becautc it comes from Gud in a more immediate and peculiar manner thar. the Body doth, Eccleſ. 12: 7« and partly becaule it is in God's ſteac to obſerveand judge all a mansa&ions y» Diſcerning not only his outward aftions, which are viſible to others, bur his moſt 1award and ſecret thoughts and affeftions, which no other man caa fee, 1 Cor: 2. 11. The bellyis here pur for the Heart as it is frequently. The, Soul can refle& upon and judge of irs own diſpoſitions and ations, Which plainly ſheweth thar the H-art is nor ſo deceitful, bur chat a Man by diligent ſtudy of it, and the uſe of the means appointed by God, may arrive at 2 certain knowledge of its ſtate and condition, in reference to God, and to Salvation.
28 * Mercy & and truth # preſerve the king 6b, and his throne is upheld by mercy c.
z Clemency ro Offenders, and bounty to worthy,and to indigent Perſons. # Faithfulneſs in keeping his Word and Promiſes inviola- bly. 6 Beczuſe they engage God 70 guard hin,and gain hi." the reverence and aff:Qions of his Peop'e, which is a King's greateſt ſafety and happineſs. c Which is again mentioned, ro ſh:w taat although it be an a& of Grace, and taer-fo-s in ſome ſort tree, yet Princ«s are obliged to it bori by their duty,and by their intereſt, ve- cauſe it is a ſingular means of their preſervation.
29 The glory ot voung men 4 is their ſtrength ; and * the beauty of old men zs the gray bead e.
a That wherein they glory as their Privil:dge above old. men. e i: e: Their old Age expreſſcd by the outward fign of it, wherein they glory as their peculiar Priviledge, as a T<ſtimony of rheir Piery and Gods Bleſſing and as a rok=n of their great experienc: and wiſdom: The deſign of this Proverb 1s to dec'are the fevers] advantages of ſevera] Ages and the murual need they have on: of another,and thereby to engage them to mutual love aid aſſiſtince, & to friendly converſe,and to make every one contented with his own Age and Condition, and not to envy nor yer deipiſe his Brother, or the difference of their Ages, as is very uſual among men.
20 The bluenefs of a wound f F cleanſerh away evil
g; ſo ds ſtripes þ the inward parts of che belly 3.
f Grievous wounds which make men black & +!ew,or ſevere pu. niſhments.g Are the moſt effeQtual means to reclaim a wicked Ma, and to purge out his corruption. þ H-b, and ſtripes, which anſwer to the wourd: in the former Clauſe. #i Erther rv. Which pierc2 even to the inward. parts of tte Beily, and to ws are ro underſtand out of the former Branch, cl:anſe away evil. Or 2. They c!canſe the inward parts of the Belly, 7: e: of the Heart So this is an addition to the' former Clauſe, and the ſenſe of r1e whole is, Grierous wounds or ftripes 4o cleanſe not only the outward Man by keeping at from al evi] afti-ns,. bur even -he inward Man, by expeilin or ſubduing vile affeQtions. Which is mentioned as a great and bleſ- ſed benefit of afflitions.
CHA P; XXL He kings heart « js in the hard of the LORD, as the rivers of water b; he turneth it c whitherſo- ever he will 4.
s His very inward purpoſes and inclinations, which ſeem to be moſt in a Man's own power, and out of the reach of aii orhers, and much more his Tongue and Hand, and all his ourward aftions, He names kings not to exclude other men, but becauſe they xre more arbitrary and uncontrollable than other men. 5 Which Husband- men or Gardiners can draw by little Channels into the adjacent grounds as they pleaſe,, and as their occaſions require. - c Dire&:th and boweth,partly by ſuzgeſting thoſe things to their Minds which have a commanding influence upon their wills, and partly by a di- ret and immediate motion of therr wills and aff:Fions, which being Gods Creatures muft needs beas ſubje&to his power and pleaſure as either mens Minds or Bodies are, and which he moves ſweerly and ſuitably to th<ir own Nature, though ſtrongly an! effeQually, 4 So as they ſhall fulfill his counſels and deſigns, cither of Mercy or of Corre&ien to themſelves, or to their People.
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