Imatges de pàgina
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occasions, he is usually spoken of by the name of King David;' when his death is spoken of, there is no mention of his dignity and office, but only of his name." (1 Kings ii. 1) And there is no discharge in that war.] Or, no' weapon wherewith we can prevail in our war with death. There is no * apparatus bellicus' against such an adversary; no arrow or javelin that a man can let fly in this combat. Or, There is no mission into this battle; in vain doth any man go forth to make war against death. So the word seemeth to be understood, (Psalm Ixxviii. 49). οὐδέ ἐστι παραλάξασθαι εἰς πόλεμον. Το Symmachus rendereth it; "It is not possible to stand in battle array against such an adversary." The Septuagint render it thus, οὐκ ἔστιν ἀποστολὴ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ πολέμου. “There is no mission or dimission in that war," which sense our interpreters seem to follow, in their version; "There is no discharge in that war," no man can have a vacation or an exauctoration from that warfare: there is no protection or deliverance from the hand of death.

Neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.] Unquiet wickedness, sinful shifts, which men in danger are apt to betake themselves unto: though a man turn himself every way, and move every stone, yet he shall not be able to deliver himself. Saul and Pilate would fain shift off the guilt of their sins upon the people; (1 Sam. xv. 21. Matt. xxvii. 24) and Caiaphas' pretended necessity for his persecuting of Christ; (John xi. 50) but this did not deliver their souls. By wickedness, here may be understood, in relation to the argument of the text, rebellion, sedition, disobedi ence against Magistrates.' (as 1 Sam. xxiv. 13). The words are a μswois, wickedness shall not deliver, that is, "It shall destroy those that use it." (Rom. i. 16. Psal. li. 17. : Prov. xvii. 21. Prov. xi. 4).

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Ver. 9. All this have 1 seen, and applied mine heart unto every work that is done under the sun: There is a time wherein: one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.] With his wonted transition he passeth on to the observing of another vauity, which was to be found amonst men. "I applied or gave mine heart unto every work;" (as Chap. vii. 25) teaching us with special attention to observe the ways of God's providence in the world. (Psal. cxi. 2. 1 Pet. i. 10, 11) When he was thus considering of the right means of living comfortably,

by yielding due obedience unto government; he found that some princes were so tyrannical and intolerable, that it was very hard for men to live quietly under them; they go on without control, and miserably afflict the poor people, (Prov. xxviii. 15, 16) for whose good and comfort they were appointed. (Rom. xiii. 4) God thus pleasing, in his justice, many times, to punish the sins of a nation, by giving them up into the hands, and under the will of unrighteous governors. (Zach. xi. 6. Hos. xiii. 11. Job xxxiv. 30. Isa. x. 6, and xiv. 20, and xix. 4) But he sheweth the vanity of such tyrannical courses. They tend at last to the hurt of those that use them. The rod which beateth the children, is usually at last thrown into the fire. As their power hath put into their hands a greater liberty of sinning, so hath it heaped up for them a greater measure of wrath. (Isa. x. 12. Dan. xi. 36 -40. Isa. xiv. 4-23. 1 Kings xv. 29, 30.)

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Ver. 10. And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the Holy: and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: This is also vanity.] These words are obscure; some understanding the former part of ' wicked rulers,' and the latter part of good rulers:' others, the whole, only of wicked ones.' The sum of the former sense is this: "When I considered the rule of tyrants over others, I observed that when they were dead and buried, they did, as it were, come and return again in their children or wicked successors, who reigned like them." (Job viii. 18, 19) Or, "when they had been deprived and deposed, and so, as it were, buried, I saw them return to domination again :-but other good men, who had walked with God in his holy place, are driven out of sight, made to run into corners, and, as it were buried, in forgetfulness, (Prov. xxviii. 12, 28. Psal. xii. 8) even in that city, where they had done right." This he looked on as a great vanity, that the memory of good men should perish; and wicked men should be had in honour. But the other sense which applieth all to wicked rulers, seemeth to be more genuine, and is followed by our translation:-" I saw wicked rulers continue all their life long in the place of the Holy one, to be had in great honour; and after they had gone in and out before the people in the place of justice and government, (which is the throne of God) I saw them magnificently buried in very great pomp and solemnity;

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(Luke xvi. 22) yet being dead, notwithstanding all those flatteries and formalities in their funeral, their name and memories did quickly perish and die with their bodies; insomuch, that in that very city where they had lived in so great power, and been buried in so much state, they were presently forgotten; neither the nobleness of their families, nor the flatteries of their creatures, nor the magnificent monuments erected for them, were able to preserve their names from rottenness." (Psal. xxxvii. 9, 10, 35, 36. Prov. x. 7) By the place of the Holy, or of the Holy one;' (as Hab. iii. 3) understanding the tribunals' of judgement, whereon they sit as his vicegerents. (Deut. i. 17. Psal. lxxxii. 1. Exod. xxii. 28. 1 Chron. xxix. 23. 2 Chron. xix. 6) By coming and going,' seems to be intimated the administration of the public office of government, elsewhere expressed in the like manner, by going in and out' before the people. (Numb. xxvii. 17. Deut. xxxi. 2. 1 Kings iii. 7)

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And they were forgotten.] The Septuagint render it, “and they were praised;" upon an easy mistake of one letter for another in the original word.

Where they had so done.] Others, "where they had done right," in the first of the two former senses; s díxaia wpákαvTes, as Symmachus :-Or, “where whatsoever they did, was accounted right;"—and so it is appliable to the latter sense.

This is also vanity.] All the power and pomp of wicked men in their life, and funerals, is but mere vanity; since, when they are gone, their names and memorials perish with them.

Ver. 11. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.] Here is intimated the reason, why wicked rulers go on, without remorse or control, in their tyranny and oppression all their life long; namely, because the judgements of God, threatened against them, are not presently put in execution. The prosperity of wicked men doth exceed ingly strengthen and harden them in their wickedness. This proceedeth from infidelity, and a root of atheism in their hearts they cannot see afar off: or if they do, yet because evil seems far from them, therefore they go on securely, abusing the goodness and long-suffering of God unto presumption, which should have led them unto repentance. (Rom. ii. 4)

First, we here see, that there is sentence pronounced against every wicked work. (Isa. iii. 10, 11)

Secondly, That the Lord is slow in putting that sentence into execution, being willing that men should repent. (2 Pet. iii. 9)

3. That the sentence being pronounced, though it come slowly, yet it will come surely against ungodly men. It is every day nearer and nearer; and the longer it stays, the more heavy it will be. It comes with feet of wool, but it will strike with hands of lead. (Gen. vi.

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4. That wicked men abuse God's patience unto presumption; and because they see all well with them, do despise his threatenings to their own destruction. (Isa. v. 19. Jer. v. 12, and xvii. 15. 2 Pet. iii. 4. Ezek. xii. 22. Psal. Iv. 19)

5. That impunity maketh wickedness more excessive and outrageous; and the heart of man is the more filled and emboldened in wickedness, by how much the more experience it hath of God's slowness to wrath. (Matth. xxiv. 48, 49. Prov. vii. 18, 19, 20. 2 Pet. iii. 3, 4)

Therefore the heart of the sons of men is full in them, or is fully set in them to do evil.] "Is bold in them," so Aquila : "therefore the sons of men do evil, apó6 xapdía, with a fearless and presumptuous heart;" so Symmachus: The phrase noteth an height of confidence and resolvedness on sinful courses, called in the scripture, 'madness, excess, greediness, rushing, breaking forth, superfluity,' &c. (Esth. vii. 5. Acts v. 3. Gen. vi. 12, 13. Luke vi. 11. Jer. 1. 38. 1 Pet. iv. 4. Ephes. iv. 19. Jer. vi. 7, and viii. 6. Hos. iv. 2. James i. 21)

Ver. 12, 13. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged; yet surely I know, &c.] Here he answereth the temptation whereby good men are apt to be offended at the prosperity of wicked men, (Psal. lxxiii. 2, 3. Jer. xii. 1) and wicked men to be bardened in their sins thereby: "Though a sinner do continue to do evil, and escape punishment an hundred times, never so often;"(as Chap. vi. 3)

And his days be prolonged.] Or, "his punishment delayed;" or "God do put off his anger, and not straightway execute it upon him, (Chap. vii. 15. Isai. xlviii. 9. Deut. iv. 40. Exod. xx. 12) yet surely I know, and do confidently affirm, that it shall be well with them that fear God." (Isai.

iii. 10, 11) The order of the consequence is inverted; and the remuneration of good men is first mentioned, before the punishment of evil men, to strengthen their faith, and to comfort them against the oppressions and injuries of their potent adversaries; because usually the rage of tyrants doth vent itself against those that fear God.

Which fear before him.] This is the character of a good man;—they fear God sincerely; they tremble at his presence; they labour to commend their hearts and consciences to him in well doing. (Isai. viii. 13) When wicked men prosper and rage, they fret not, they fear not their cruelty; but still they hold fast their integrity, and go on steadily in obedience and patient waiting on God.

But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow.] "It shall not be well:" This is a elwois, less being said than is intended; for the meaning is, "It shall be very ill with him." (as Exod. xx. 7. Psalm xxxiv. 5. Rom. i. 16. Psalm lxxxiv. 12. Isai. xlii. 3. Rom. iv. 19. Revel. xii. 11)

Neither shall he prolong his days.] Long life is oftentimes promised as a blessing, (Prov. xxviii. 16. Exod. xx. 12. Psalm xci. 16. Prov. iii. 2) and the contrary threatened as a curse. (Psalm Iv. 23) "And though they seem to live long, their longest life is but as a shadow, which suddenly is gone; (Psalm cxliv. 4) wrath doth at last certainly overtake them.” Whereas in scripture sometimes 'prolonging of one's days,' relates to a life after death, and a victory over it. (Isai. liii. 10)

Ver. 14. There is a vanity which is done upon the earth.] He doth not pass this censure upon the wise and righteous providence of God, who ordereth all the seeming confusions and disorders which are in the world, and who is pleased, after a seeming inequality, to dispense good or evil unto men, contrary to what our reason doth judge most equal and righteous; (Job ix. 22, and xxi. 7, 8) but first he speaketh according to the judgement of flesh and blood, which is apt to judge hardly of so strange a distribution. (Psalm 1xxiii. 13, 14) 2. He doth it, to show the vanity of all outward things, which do variously happen unto men under the sun; which, being distributed without any great difference, sometimes evil things to good men, and good things to evil men, do lead

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