to perform their Office- m Heb. becauſe they are diminiſhed, either 3. Ta ſtrength; Or 2+In' number ; being here one, and there ano- ther, and not united together,and one dire&ly againſt another,and conſequently unfit for their work. » The Eyes. By windews he un- derftands either 1+ The koles in which the Eyes are fixed, Zech. 14; 12: Or 2: TheEyelids,which like windows, are either opened or ſhut, Or 3. Thoſe Humours and Coats of the Eyes, noted by Anatomiſts which are the chief Inſtruments by which the Eyc ſees.
4 And the doors be ſhut in the ftreets o, when the found of the grinding is low p, and he ſhall riſe up 4 at the voice of the bird r, and all the daughters of mu-
ſick s ſhall be brought low 7. o Or, toward: the ftrettr : which lead into the ſtreets. This 3s - underſtood either 1. Literally 3 becauſe men, when they are very old keep much ar home,and' have neither ſtrength nor inclination to £0 abroad. Or rather 2. Allegorically, as all che other Clauſes are underſtood. And fv rhe doors are either 1. The ontward' Sen{es, which, as doors, let in outward ObjeQs to.the Soul. Or rather 2- The Mouth, or the two Lips, here exprefſed by a word of the dual number, which are oft called a 4»or, both in Scripture, as P/s:
141: 3s Mich:
' Silver,and of the inſtruments by which the neceſſary Proviſions and, ſupports of Life are conveyed to us,fuch as Fountains of Water,and . Pirchers,&c. which may be ſaid ro be looſed or broken becauſe they | are negleRed as uſeleſs things to the dead man, Or rather 2. Alles gorically,of thoſe inward parrs of Mans Body which are the chief In« ftrumenrs of Life, or Senſe and Motion, and of the vital or animal . operations, whether ſuch from whict' they firſt proceed, or in which [they are firſt elaborated & contained, which may fitly be compared tg 'a bowl, and fountain,-or ciſtern ; or ſuch by which they are derived or | conveyed to the ſeveral parts of the Body, which are very COnvenis ently deſigned by the cord, and pitcher. and wheel; all which are try. ly faid to be looſed orbroken, i, e, diffolved, or become uſeleſs 2nd ine ſufficient for the performance of their ſeveral fun&ions. This in the £e- [neral; But it ſeems moſt probable that Solomnn,:who was ſo profound a ' Philoſopher,and doubtleſs had an aecurate knowledge of all the parts of mans Body, and their ſeveral offices and operations,doth by theſe ſeveral Expreſſions deſcribe ſo many, particular parts and offices. By the filver cord it is generally and moſt probably conceived, that he underſtands the pith or marrow of the back-bone,which comes from the brain,and thence goeth down to the very loweſt end of the Back.
7:5: and in other Authors; which like a door, epen | bone, together with the Nerves and Sinews, which, as Anatomiſts
or ſhut the way whichleads unto the ſtreets or common paſſages of j ©bſerve,are nothing elſe but the produQtion and continuation of the
the Body, ſuch as the Guller, and Sromach, and all the Bowels, as alfo the Wind-pipe, and Lungs; which alſo are principal inſtru- ments both of (peaking an ſimply and abfolutely, as i | bur comparatively,becauſe Men in extream Old-age grow dull and liftleſs, having little or no appetite to eat, and are very much indiſ- poſed for diſcourſe, and ſpeak bur ſeldory. p Or, becauſe the ſound, &c.So this may be added, not as a new Symptom of Old-age. bur only as the reaſon of the foregoing Symtom, The Senſe is, When, or becauſe the Teeth, called the grinders, v. 3: dre looſe and few, whereby both his ſpeech is low.and the noiſe which he makes in eat-
* Ing. is but ſmall, And this is one great cauſe of his indiſpoſedneſs
bork toeating and to ſpeaking, Some underſtand this of ConcoQtion, which after a ſort doth grind the Meat in the ftomach, and in the other parts appointed by God for that work. Bur that is rranſatted inwardly,and Witnout all noiſe or ſound, gq To wit, from his Bzd, being weary with Lying, and unable to get ſleep. r Either 1. Upon the ſmalleſt noiſe. Which doth not conſiſt with that deaf. els incident to old Men, and deſcribed in the next words: Or ra- ther 2. As ſoon asthe Birds begin to chirp, which is early in the morning, whereas Children and Young Men, can Ite and ſleep long in the moraing. 5s Allthole Senſes or parts of the Body which are employed in Muſick and Song; as well thoſe which make it, as the arts of and within the Mouth,as thoſe which Teceive it, to wit, the ars. - * ſhall be caſt down frem their former excellency ; they are become incapable either of making muſick, or cf delighring in ir. . 5 Alſo when they ſhall be afraid « of that which is high =, and fears ſhall be in the way y, and the almond- tree ſhall flouriſh z, and the graſhopper ſhall be a bur-
den &,. and deſire b ſhall fail : becauſe man goeth c to his
long home d,and the mourners e go about the ftreets : |
| Marrow. And this 1s moſt aptly compared to a cord, both for its fi- gure, which is very long and r8und;and for its uſe,which is ts draw
d eating. Arid theſe are ſaid to be ſbut,not | and move the parts of the Body,and to filvergboth for its excellency f they did never cat, or drink, or ſpeak, i and colour: which is white and bright, even in a dead, and much