5 For as the Iſraelitiſh Women did generally and vehemently de- fire manyChildren,for divers Reaſons elſewhere mentioned fo thoſe who were barren amongft them, were moſt eager in thoſe De- fires, 2s we ſec in Rachel, Gen: 30; 1 and as in all other cafes, Per- ſons moſt prize andthitſt after thoſe good things which they want, # Which whea it is dry thirſts for Rain, and in a Intlerime fucks up great quantities of Water, and gapes for more, « Which continual- ly burns as long as thereis any combuſtible matter left for it.
17 The eye that mocketh at bis father « and deſpi- ſ:th to obey bis mother, the ravens of || the valley ſhall pick it out x,and the young cagle y ſhall ear ir,
« Be thatſcorneth or deriderh his Parents, though it be bur with a Lcok or Geſture,and much more when he breaks outinto oppro- | brious Words and Afftiens. x He ſhall die an unnatural, and un- wu, timely, &ignominious Death,and after Death ſhall lie unburied,&
f Heb:
vealþ,
lOr, h uk,
1:okAnd Mocher too,as it follows;ungrateful and unnaturalMonſters. | eq
Fo be ex; 0158 to the Birds and Bealty of Yrey, and amonglt others, |
no wickedneſs h.
d So ſecret and undiſcernible. e Of her who though ſhe be call. and accounted a Maid, yet in truth is an Adultereſs, nota com= mon Strumpet ; for of ſuch the following words are not true, but one that ſecretly lives inthe Sin of Adultery or Fornication. f To wit, the bread of deceit in ſecret, by which is underſtood the a& of Filthineſs, Prov, 9; 17: and 20:17. which ſuch perſons do as greedi- ly deſire, and as delightfully feed upon.as bungry perſons do upon Bread. Thus chaſtly doth the Holy Ghoſt expreſs the moſt filthy ations, to teach us to avoid all immodeſt and obſcene Speeches as well as Attions. As a Child doth when it hath eaten ſome forbid- den food, and would not be diſcovered» þ Denies the Fact, and avoweth her Innocency.
21 For three things the Earth 5 is diſquicted, and for four which it cannor bear &. | ;
# Either 1.The earth it ſelf trembleth and is moved, ſo it is an Hy perbole, Or rather 2. The Inhabitants of the Exrth. They do by their inſolence and impudence cauſe great and dreadful difturbances in the places where taey live. & Which are intolerable in humane ſocieries. | cs
22 * Fora ſervant when he reigneth /, and a fool » nY 19., when he is filled with meat = ; | © NOR
1 When he is advanced to great Power and Dignity ; for ſuch an one 15 1gnorant and unfirfor his place, and therefore commits many errours ; he is poor, and therfore an inſatiable oppreſlor, according tO Prov; 28. 3. heis proud and imperious,and being maligned and ha- ted by others he is provcked to hate them, and to be injurious and cruel ro them. m A conceited and wilful fool, or an obſtinately wicked man. » Either 1. When he is glutted with meat or drink, which dulls mens Reaſon, and heatstheir Blood, and ſtirs them up to many inſolenciess Or rather 2. When he abounds in Wealth; which in that caſe is like a Sword in a mad mans hand,beingan in- ſtrumenrt and occaſion of innumerable wickedneſſes and milſchiefs as appears from common experience: | | 23 For an odiouss woman when ſhe is married p, and an handmaid that is heir to her miſtreG q, o Proud,and perverſe; and full of hatefuland offenſive qualities þ For then ſhe diſplayeth, and exerciſeth all choſe ill Humours which before for her own ends ſhe concealed;then ſhe is puffed vp, and imperious, and becomes intolerable to her own Family.and to her Relations and Neighbours. q That pofſeſſeth her Eftate,cither by the gift of her Miſtreſs,into whoſe Favour ſhe had infinuated ker ſelf by her cunning and officious Carriage: or rather by the Marriage of her Maſter, which great and ſudden change tranſports her beſide her ſelf, and makes her inſufferably proud, and ſcornful;and injuri- ous to all that converſe with her.
24 There be four things which are little upon the Bs earth, but they ref exceeding wile 7: _: tHebiwife,
r Comparatively to other bruce Creatures. They at very wiſel o wiſe; and enencty: not from any reaſon which ons bi by oh ani | dire&ion of Divine Providence, which ſecretly guides them to. do
thoſe things for their own Preſervation which are moſt agreeable to the Rules ef Wiſdom. The Deſign ofthis Obſervation is_ either 1. To commend Wiſdom to us,and to teach us to imitate the Pro. vidence of theſe Creatures, as we are provoked to imitate their diligence, Prov; 6- 6. . Or 2. to keep us from being proudly con- ceired of our ownWiſdom,becauſe we are either equalled or exceed-
ed therein by the unreaſonable Creatures in the wiſe Condu& of their Affairs. Or 3. To dire& usto whom to reſort for Wiſdom
when we want and deſire it,even to God who is able to inſpire Wiſe
dom even into the brute Creatures,
25 * The ants area people s not ftrong, yet they * Ch: 5: prepare their meat in the ſummer e. EE s Which Title is oft given to the unreaſonable Creatures both in ; 5K 3 Scrip*
Oc.
*" ©
Time, which is one of the nobleſt of them,one way or other to the Service of that God to whom they muſt give an account, and te the
F good of that Community to which they are related and oblidged.
14 She 1s like the merchants ſhips, ſhe bringeth her food from afar a. s By theſale of her home-ſpun Commoadities ſhe purchaſeth the choiceſt Goods which come trom far Countries, 15 She riſeth alſo while itis yet night b, and giveth meat c to her houſhold,and a portion d to her maidens. 6 Early inthe morning, to redeem time. c Diſtributeth all her neceſſary Proviſions. d Either 1. Of Work, which the allots to them. Or rather 2, Of Proviſions for them; for ſo this word is uſed Gen: 47; 22, Lev; 10; 13, 14. Prov:30-8; and nc. where, to my re- membrance, ofan Allotment of Work. And fo this Clauſe agrees
beſt with the former, expreſſing the ſame thing in other words, ac- cording to the manner.
=_ a 16 Sheconſfidereth ea field, and | buyeth it ; wich bi
the fruit of her hands f ſhe planteth a vineyard g.
e Whether it be fit for her uſe, andof a reaſonable price, and how ſhe may purchaſe it. This excludes the Raſhneſs. as ber pro- ceeding to buy itexcludes the Inconſtancy, which is oft incidentto that Sex. f With the effeQ&s of her Diligence. g She improveth the Land to the beſt Advantage.
17 She girdeth her loius with ſtrengeh b,and ſtrengthe- | 70nd being guided by Wiſdom and Grace, and nor by iri=