Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

a There is no remembrance of former things, neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come, with those that shall come after.

b The thing that hath been it is that which fhall be; and, that which is done, is that which fhall be done; and, there is no new thing under the Sun.

Surely, our Fathers have inherited Lyes, Vanity, and things wherein there is no profit: and tho' their way were Folly, yet their Pofterity approve their Sayings.

d Behold, is it not of the Lord that the People labour in the very Fire, and weary themfelves for very Vanity? They weave the Spider's Web: their Webs fhall not become Garments; neither fhall they cover themselves with their Works. Wherefore turn not afide from following the Lord; for then fhall you go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain. For the Creature was made fubject to Vanity.

e I would not live always, because my Days are Vanity. As a Servant earnestly defireth the Shadow, and as an Hireling looketh for the reward of his Work; fo longeth my Soul for thee, O God, because thy Loving kindness is better than Life.

[blocks in formation]

The IGNORANCE of MAN.

a Vain Man would be Wife, tho' Man be born like a wild Afs's Colt. He faith he will be Wife, but it is far from him: For the Thoughts of the Wife are vain.

b We are but of yesterday, and know nothing.

We wait for Light, but behold Obfcurity; for Brightness, but we walk in Darkness: we grope for the Wall like the Blind; we ftumble at Noon-day as in the Night.

d The way of Peace we know not, there is no Judgment in our Goings, we have made us crooked Paths.

e The way of Man is not in himself: It is not in Man that walketh to direct his Steps. Man's Goings are of the Lord; how can a Man then understand his own way? His Heart devifeth his way, but the Lord directeth his Steps.

f If any Man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.

g Boaft not thy felf of to Morrow; for thou knoweft not what a Day may bring forth. We know not what fhall be on the Morrow.

h Great Men are not always Wife, neither do the Aged understand Judgment.

i Where is the Wife? Where is the Scribe? Where is the Difputer of this World? Their Wifdom, and their Knowledge, it hath perverted them; They are wearied in the Multitude of their

a Job 11. 12. Eccl. 7. 23. 1 Cor. 3. 20.

• İf. 59. 9, 10.

20. 24. Prov. 16. 9.

Jam. 4. 14.

dlf. 59. 8.

h

Job 32.9.

f

e

Job 8. 9.

Jer. 10. 23. Prov. I Cor. 8. 2. 8 Prov. 27. I. I Cor. 1. 20. ¶ If. 47. 10, 13.

Counfels.

Counsels. For the Wisdom of this World, and of the Princes of this World, cometh to nought.

a There is a way that feemeth right unto a Man; but the end thereof are the ways of Death.

b The Foolishness of Man perverteth his way: and his Heart fretteth against the Lord.

c Where fhall Wifdom be found, and where is the place of Understanding? Man knoweth not the Price thereof; neither is it found in the Land of the Living.

The WEAKNESS and INSUFFICIENCY of MAN.

d We are not fufficient, of our felves, to think any thing, as of our felves; but our fufficiency is of God.

e We have no Might, neither know we what to do, but our Eyes are upon thee, O Lord. We could have, no Power at all, except it were given us from above. And we cannot go be yond the Commandment, or Permission, of the Lord, to do good or bad, lefs or more, of our own Mind.

f It is God that worketh in us, both to will and to do, of his good Pleafure. Thou, Lord, haft wrought all our good Works in us. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that fheweth Mercy. Neither is he that planteth any thing.

[merged small][ocr errors]

Job 28. 12, 13.

a Prov. 16. 25.
d2 Cor. 3. S.

b Prov. 19. 5.

2 Chr.

e

20. 12. John 19. 11. Num. 24. 13. Num. 22. 18.
f Fhil. 2. 13. If. 26. 12. Rom. 9. 16, 1 Cor. 3. 7.

neither

neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase.

a Which of us, by taking thought, can add one Cubit unto his Stature; or, can make one Hair white or black?

There is no King faved by the multitude of an Hoft: And a mighty Man is not delivered by much Strength.

c Through God we fhall do valiantly, but vain is the help of Man in Trouble. For what is our Strength, that we should hope?

d The Wicked imagine mifchievous Devices, which they are not able to perform. Let them take Counsel together, and it fhall come to nought: Let them fpeak the word, and it fhall not ftand. For God is with us.

The SINFULLNESS of MAN.

e By one Man Sin entred into the World; and by his Difobedience many were made Sin

ners.

f God made Man upright; but they have fought out many Inventions.

8 Our first Father hath finned, and our Teachers have tranfgreffed against the Lord; and all Flesh hath corrupted his way upon the Earth.

h What is Man, that he fhould be clean? And he which is born of a Woman, that he should be Righteous? Behold he was fhapen in Iniquity,

Pf. 33. 16. If. 8. 10. SIS. 43. 27

1 Cor. 3. 7. a Mat. 6. 27. Mat. 5. 36.
• Pf. 60. 12, IL Job 6. 11. d Pf. 21. 11.
eRom. s. 12, 19.
f Eccl. 7. 29.
Job 15. 14. Pf. 51. 5.

Gen. 6. 12.

and in Sin did his Mother conceive him; and the Imagination of Man's Heart is Evil from his Youth.

a We are a Seed of Evil-doers; who are rifen up in our Fathers ftead, an increase of finful Men, to augment the fierce Anger of the Lord.

b We have finned against the Lord our God, we, and our Fathers, from our Youth even unto this Day; and we are all of us, by Nature the Children of Wrath.

The Children of Men are corrupt; they have done abominable Works: There is none that doth good; they are all gone afide, they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doth good, no not one.

d All we, like Sheep, have gone aftray, we have turned every one to his own way: All have finned, and come fhort of the Glory of God; and, the whole World lieth in Wickednefs.

e If we say that we have no Sin, we deceive our felves, and the Truth is not in us: For, there is none upright among Men; there is no Man, that finneth not; but, in many things we offend all; and, it is impoffible but that Offences will come: Who then can fay, I have made my Heart clean; I am pure from my Sin; When there is not a juft Man upon Earth, that doth Good, and finneth not?

f The Scripture hath concluded all Men, both Jews and Gentiles, under Sin; that every Mouth

Pf. st. s. Gen, S. 21.
Jer. 3. 25. Eph. 2.3.
dif. 53. 6. Rom. 3. 23.

* If. 1. 4. Num. 32. 14.
Pf. 14. 2, 1, 3.

1 Joh. 5. 19.

1 John 1. 8.

Mic. 7. 1. Kin 8. 46. Jam. 3. 2. Luke 17. 1. Prov. Gal. 3. 22. Rom, 3, 9, 19.

20. 9. Eccl. 7. 20,

6

may

« AnteriorContinua »