be not darkned f,nor the clouds return after the rain g: f Heb. While the ſun, and the light, and the mom, &c. Thar clauſe and the light, ſeems to be added to ſignific that he ſpeaks of the dark- mng of the Sun, and Moon, and Stars,not in themſelves,or ia their ownBodies,bur oaly in reſpeCt of that light which chey afford to men. And therefore the ſame clauſe which is expreſſed afrer the Sun,is t9 { be underſtood after the Moon and Stars,as is very uſual in Scripture 1n like caſes: * And thoſe Expreſſions are to be underſtood either - 1- Literally, of the dimſightedneſs of old men, by reaſon whereof the lizhrt of the Sun, &c. ſeems dark ro theme Which ſeems not to agree with the Context, partly becauſe the dimneſs of their ſight is expreſſed in the next verſe, and partly becauſe both this and the fol- lowing verſes are wholly Allegorical. Or rather 2. Figuratively, and thar either 1. Ofthe outward parts of the Body, and eſpeciaily of the Face, the Beauty ofthe Countenance, the lightſome and plea-+ {ant complexion of the Cheeks, the livelinefs of the Eyes,which ar= compared to the Sun, .and Moon, and Stares,and which are obſcured in Old age, as the Chaldee Paraphraſt underftands it. Or 2. Of the uiward parts of the Mind, the Underſtanding,rancy, Memory, which may notunfitly be reſembled to the Sun & Moon, and Stars, and all which are ſenſibly decayed in mo#t old men. Forit may feem improbable; that Solomon in his deſcription of che infirmiries of Old- age ſhould omit the decays of tbe moſt noble part of Man, whieh are comonly incident to Old age. And yet,with ſubmiſſion to thoſe worthy Sefton who think otherwiſe, - it ſeems not neceſſary that he ſhould here ſpeak of thoſe inward decays, partly becauſe they are nor fo general in old Men as the decays of the Bedy are ; partly becauſe | he here direð his Speech to: ſenſual men who are more affefted with corporal than with intelleQual maladies ; and partly becauſe both the foregoing and following paſſages concern the ſtate of Mens Bodies and their outward condition. Or rather 3. Of external things, and the great change of their joy and proſperity, which they had in their youthful time, into ſorrow,and manifold calamitieg,which are.uſually the companions of Old age:For this interpretation ſeems beſt to agree both with the foregoing verſe,in which he deſcribes the miſeries of Old-age, and with the following clauſe, whichis added to explain and determine thoſe otherwiſe ambiguous Expreſſions 3 and with the Scripture uſe ofthis Phraſe, which is the beſt key for the nnderftanding of Scripture; for a ſtate of comfort and happineſs is ofc deſcribed by the Light of the Sun, ©, Judg, 5: 313.2 Sam: 23: 4: 1/4.39: 26: & 60: 20, and a time and ſtate of great troudle is ſer forth by the darkning-ofthe Light of the Sun, ©. as 1/a: 13; 9: &c. & '24: 23+ Joel 2; 10; & 3: 153 Mat: 24. 29: and ofr elſewhere, - This Phraſe notes a perpetual Succeſſion, and. REciprocation of
ee re aanted
Rain, and Clouds bringing Rain, and then Rain and Clouds again,
and ſo without end. Whereby he expreſſeth either 1. The Rheums
5; Deflugions which do _— and inceſGncly flow in and from 5 9
C hap3 41.
- F
Emember a now chy Creator 6b in the days of *Pro:22:6
P Sam:19:
| | Or, the | grinders
fail becanſe | rbey grind | Girtle,
Chap. X11.
. Heads ſhall be as full ofgray Hairs, as the Almond-tree is of white
_ derſtood either 1, The o0!d Man himſelf, who bears ſome reſem-
Legs and Arms which are flender, the file 2:
mend-tree flouriſhed,. in which the ſtrength of rhe Body lay and
ECCLIE
od Men,for want of natural heat and frength to preventor remove them. "Oc rather 2. The Contintiel viedFeude of Infirmanes, Di- ſeaſes znd griefs, in old Men, one Deep calling upon anothier, and one Affliction beginning at the end of another ; whereas in young en after Rain Te Clouds are diſperſed, and fair weather ſucceeds, 3 In che day when the keepers of the houſe þ ſhall tremble, and the ſtrong men ; ſhal bow themſelves and [| the grinders & ceaſe 7 becauſe they are few », and
choſe that look out of the windows » be darkned. bj. e. Ofthe Body,which is oft and fitly compared to an houſe as' Fob 4: 19: Pſai ito; 54: 2 Cor; 5:1: Whoſe keepers here are et- ther 1. The Ribs and Bones into which they are faſtened, which are, the Guardians of the inward and vital parts, whichalſo are much weakned and ſhaken by Old-age. Or rather 2, The Hands and Arms, which are mans beſt inſtruments to defend his Body from the Af- faults of Men or Beaſts,and which in a ſpecia} manner are ſubje& ro this zrembling, by paralitical or other like diſtempers, thatare molt incident to.old Men; i Either the Back, or the Thighs and Legs, in which the main ſtrength of the Body doth conſiſt, which in old Men are very feeble, and unable both for the ſupport of the Body, and for motion. & The Teeth; thoſe eſpecially which are com- monly ſo called becauſe they grind theMear which we eat,/To wit,
STASTES.
weakneſs and crookedneſs, 1s a burden too heavy for it ſelf. Ang ſome of theJewiſh and otherInterpreters underſtand this word)which others retider locuſt or graſhopper,to be ſome part of the Body, either the Back-bone,or the head of the Thigh-bone, or the 24 le-bvne any of which may well be ſaid to be' heavy or burdenſome to it ſelf,when ir moves ſlowly and liftleſly, and' not withour difficulty and trouble b Fo wit, of Meats, and Drinks; and Muſick, and other carnal De. lights, which are vehemently deſired by men in the heat of their Youth, but are unſavery to old nien 3 of which'ſee an inſtanc Ce, 2Sam:
two next following are proper, and to: be underſtood literally,and to may This clauſe alſo. c Is travelling towards it,and every day nearer fo it than other, 4 From'tlus place of his pilgrimage into the: Grave
and place of the future Life, which-1s unchangeable and everlaſting: e Eirzer ſuch as were hired to that end;of whom ſee on Jer: 9:17:Mar. 9; 23: & 11: 17: or true Mourners, near Relations, and: dear Friends accompanie the dead Corps through the ſtreets to the Grave. F
6 Orever the ſilver cord be loofed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the foun- tain, orthe wheel broken at the ciſtern f.
f This Verſe is to be underſtood either 1. Literally, of the orna. ments of Life, ſuch as Chains, and Jewelr,, and Veffels of Gold and