obedience to his will. So our translation seems to understand the last clause of this verse; which may be thus also translated, "For they make no conscience to do evil." It is no part of their religion to abstain from wickedness; but, fancying by their sacrifices they shall atone for that, they do not fear to commit it. To this purpose Maldonate expounds it, more plainly than any that I have read. [b] Ver. 2.] Here he gives the second advice; which is about prayer, and about vows to God, or, (as St Hierom seems to take it, and to which Melancthon wholly confines it), about the doctrines we deliver concerning God; which should be very well considered, before we affirm any thing of him. The two first are most proper to the place, especially the latter of them; both which I have comprehended in the paraphrase of this verse.

[c] Ver. 3.] The reason for the foregoing precept, (of not using many words), taken from the consideration of God's greatness and our meanness, (ver. 2.), together with the enforcement of it in this verse, is thus explained by St Hierom. He requires us, that whether we speak or think of God, we should not venture beyond our ability, but remember our imbecillity; and that, as far as the heaven is distant from the earth, so much do our thoughts fall short of the excellence of his nature. And therefore our words ought to be very moderate; for as a man that is full of thoughts, commonly dreams of those things whereof his head is full, so he that attempts to discourse much of the divinity, falls into folly. Or rather thus, Our words ought therefore to be few, because even those things which we think we know, we see through a glass, in ænigmate, and we do but dream of that which we fancy we comprehend. So that when we have said a great deal, (and to the purpose, as it seems to us), the conclusion of our disputation is folly.

And so much, we may be certain, he suggests unto us, that in a multitude of words spoken unto God, (as I rather understand it), there must be many of them as idle as men's thoughts are in a dream. For the third verse sounds thus in the Hebrew, "For a dream proceeds from (or by) a multitude of toilsome business; and the voice of a fool from (or by) the multitude of words." That is, if a man have a multitude of cares in his mind all the day, they will produce strange, extravagant, or distracted dreams in the night; and in like manner, if a man utter abundance of words, without consideration and due weighing what he saith to God, many of them must needs be foolish, whether they be vows, or whether they be prayers unto him, (or whether they be discourses concerning him, for we may refer it, if we please, to all). And the sense will not much differ, if that preposition which we translate from, be translated with, in this manner: "As dreams come with a multitude of business," (i. e. bring before the mind, in a confused manner, what we have been doing or thinking of all day), "so a fool's voice comes with a multi

tude of words," i. e. he utters a great deal of inco herent confused stuff, &c. Or thus, The voice of a fool comes in a multitude of words. And then the sense will run thus: "As a multitude of business tires a man, and makes him but dream at last about it, (and therefore he had better leave off, before he be unfit to attend it), so when a man enlarges himself too far in his prayers or discourses of God, he doth but babble in the conclusion, and therefore had better be shorter."

[d] Ver. 4.] And now follows the third advice about the performing of vows that have been made. Which is double, first, not to delay the performance, nor put it off from time to time, (which is the subject of this verse), lest we be tempted at last not to perform our vows at all, which is the second thing; of which he speaks in the next words, ver. 5. and 6. where he cautions against excuses which men are apt to make for not being as good as their intentions. Greg. Thaumaturgus hath expressed both excellently in a few words, (alluding to the Hebrew word on which signifies to complete), Επαγγελία δι ευχῆς γινομένη τέλος λαμβανέτω δι ἔργα. “ Α promise being made by a vow, let it receive its perfection (or completion) by performance ;" and that with all speed, as soon as it is due. For a vow is an imperfect sort of a thing till it be made good; it hath only the beginning of a good thing, and wants its finishing, which if it have not, it becomes ugly and odious. For God loves not (that is, hates) to be so dealt withal, as if he did either not understand, or not mind what we say to him; or would put up that affront which the poorest man cannot but resent; who looks upon himself, as not only abused, but despised, when men give him fair words, which either have no meaning, or deceive him when he depends upon them. This Solomon represents in the 5th verse, as far worse than promising nothing at all; in which men may be unkind, but in this they are unjust.

[e] Ver. 6.] And he presseth it farther in this verse, where by Malach Angel, there are those that understand that particular angel, which is supposed by some (but cannot be certainly proved) to attend upon every particular person; others understand the priest, who is God's minister; but I have followed Mr Mede, (book ii. p. 438.), who takes angel here collectively for more than one, (as tree is put for trees, leaf for leaves, Gen. iii. 2. 7.), which attended upon the Divine Majesty in his house, where the vow he is here speaking of was made, (ver. 1.) Which angelical ministry in God's house was represented to the Jews, by filling all the curtains of the tabernacle with the pictures of cherubims, Exod. xxvi. 36. 37.; and by carving the inside of the walls of Solomon's temple with the same, 1 Kings, vi.; and by the ark of the testimony being overspread with two mighty cherubims, (having their wings lifted up, and their faces looking down towards it, and towards the mercy-seat), called the Cherubims of Glory, i. e. of the divine

presence, Heb. ix. 5. And all to signify, that where God's sacred memorial is, there the blessed angels, out of duty, give their attendance; and therefore the LXX. I observe, in this place, instead of before the angel, have gò xgorány T O, before the face or presence of God; whose ministers the angels. were, and before whom the vows men engaged themselves in being made, they were witnesses also and avengers of their excuses, or of their delays, to make them good.

As for the Vulgar translation of those words, (it is an error), which is this, there is no providence; I have taken no notice of it, because it doth not seem to be the genuine meaning; for why should a man make any vows, who believes no providence over him, unless we will say, that he might alter his opinion. afterwards; and so we may put both senses together thus: "I was in an error, there was no providence, and therefore I need not trouble myself about my vows.” [f] Ver. 7.] In these words he concludes his discourse about religion, with a repetition (as some take it) of the third verse, a little varied and enlarged; which may be thus paraphrased according to our translation: To sum up all that concerns this matter; since in a multitude of words, as dreams, there must needs be much vanity, therefore have a greater reverence of God than to speak any thing rashly, or to make larger promises to him than thou art truly willing to make good."

In the Hebrew the words run thus: "But from a multitude of dreams (or when dreams are multiplied) both vanity and words are multiplied; there. fore fear thou God." Which may have this meaning; "They do but merely dream of God, and are not awakened to a lively sense of him, who make either those vain excuses, or those idle promises; of which that thou mayest not be guilty, possess thy soul with an awful dread of his majesty." This is exactly agreeable to the Hebrew, if we take vanities to relate unto the excuses of ignorance or error before mentioned, and words and promises; and by multitude of dreams, understand a great many conceptions concerning God, more like dreams than waking thoughts of him.

Interpreters explain the words many other ways, whom the learned reader may consult. I have followed my own conjectures; and shall also propound another translation of the words, which seem to me very natural and easy, which is this: "When, in abundance, dreams, and vanities, and words, are multiplied, then fear thou God." That is, have a great care of thyself, and let the dread of God overawe thee, lest thou offend when thy head is hot, and full of dreams and vain imaginations, which dispose thee to speak abundantly. [g] Ver. 8.] As the foregoing verse concluded his discourse about religion, so this concludes the third general head, whereby he demonstrates the vanity of all things, begun, iii. 17. Which he here admonishes us, should not too much disturb, much less astonish us; because God will set all right in his

in מעל But

due time. So he began it, iii. 17. and so he here ends it in this verse. Which hath some difficulty in the last part of it, which we translate, "He that is higher than the highest," &c. Word for word, "High above the high observeth." Hebrew never signifies simply above, but always from above, or from on high, and therefore should be translated here, "He that is high, from on high observeth." And then the only question is, Who is meant by the high, whether God, or his vicegerent, the king here on earth? I have expounded it of the latter, because otherwise the same thing must be said over again immediately, which is not usual indeed in scripture; but where there is no necessity of it, and where the words will better bear another sense, they are not to be so construed. And the last word of the verse will no way be so plain, as by referring it both to the high person mentioned before, and to all his inferior potentates and judges, whom he observes from on high, that is, from his throne, or from his seat of judgement. Where he ought to call them to an account, and examine any complaints that are made against them; or if he do not, both he and they are observed by the Supreme Judge of all, and shall be accountable to him, whether they will or no.

[h] Ver. 9.] And now he seems, in this next verse, to make a transition to the fourth general head, (mentioned in the beginning), concerning the vanity of those who place their happiness in getting and heaping up a great deal of money.

It

is an obscure verse, both in its connection, and in some of its phrases; and therefore is diversely expounded by interpreters. To help out the connection, I have made bold to preface a little, and also to add such a conclusion in my paraphrase upon it, as 1 took to be most agreeable to what follows, and to what went before. I have expressed also both senses of the last clause, which we render, "The king is served by the field," but may more literally be translated, "The king is a servant (or is addicted) to the field." For anciently the greatest persons did not think it below them to follow husbandry, (whose just praises Cicero hath given us in his Offices, but especially in his book De Senectute), as we are taught by the examples of Hiero, Philometor, Attalus, Archelaus, Cyrus the younger, in profane story; and by the example of king Uzziah, in scripture, 2 Chron. xxii. 10. Which did not at all abate their courage, or dull their wit, but only made 'the one more patient of toil and labour, and the other more solid and more serious. Whence it is that we find the greatest captains among the Romans, such as Camillus, Regulus, Fabius, Cato, Cincinnatus, were fetched from the plough; as Gideon among the Israelites was from the threshing-floor, and Elisha called to the high office of a prophet, as he was driving one of the twelve ploughs his father had going in the field.

And therefore Maldonate's translation of these words is not to be despised, who (and he alone, as I

can find) thinks they are capable of being rendered thus: "By following husbandry diligently, a man may grow so rich as to become a king." Melancthon alone translates the whole verse thus: "The king in the earth is above all for the tillage of the field" Where Solomon, saith he, distinguisheth a king from a tyrant. A tyrant depopulates his country, and lays all waste; a good king cherishes his people, especially honest husbandmen and farmers, and loves to see them thrive, together with all good arts. The vulgar Latin, I suppose, aimed at something of this, though it be taken otherwise by those that follow it. Agreeable to which is this memorable passage in a Persian writer, quoted by Mr Pocock (in his Notes upon Abul Feragii, p. 202. 203.) That in that "country they kept a solemn feast every year, wherein the king descended from his throne, laid aside his royal apparel, threw away the veil from his face, and conversed with most ordinary people, even with the country swains and husbandmen, with whom he ate, saying, 'I am one of you, nor can the world subsist without tillage, which is performed by your pains;' and that tillage subsists, it is owing to the king; so that neither of us being able to subsist without the other, we are, as it were, individual brethren." There are those that comprehend pasturage as well as tillage, under these words, because the ancient patriarchs were shepherds. But there is no need of this, and husbandry or gardening was far more ancient, even as old as Adam; and after the flood we find Noah thus employed, as Isaac also was in succeeding times.

[i] Ver. 10.] The latter end of this verse runs thus in the Hebrew text: "Whoso loveth (viz. silver) reaps no fruit of his abundance," i. e. doth not enjoy it, as St Hierom expounds it, which is very often the miserable condition of worldly-minded

men.

[k] Ver. 11.] The latter end of this verse, also, is capable of contrary senses, which I have expressed in the paraphrase, but shall not give an account of it here, because I see these annotations already grow too large. For which cause I will not note par. ticularly every thing that is observable in the following verses, but only touch upon some of them, under this observation, that he seems to demonstrate the vanity of that sort of happiness which men place in riches, from ten considerations. The two first are contained in the tenth verse, that the desires of such men are unsatiable; and the more unsatiable they are, the less they enjoy of what they

have.

The third and fourth in the 11th verse, that if they will enjoy it, the more they have, the more others must also have of it; and the pleasure of this is very small, being no more than to behold a great many people eat and drink at their cost.

[1] The fifth, ver. 12. That their servants commonly sleep more sweetly than they. For so baofed, (which we translate labouring man), signifies one that

serves, that undertakes work for another, or any way ministers unto him.

[m] The sixth, That their riches expose them to the danger even of their life, by poison, or by open violence, ver. 13. Where the first words rai chole, sore evil, import such an evil as makes one sick, when he thinks of it, especially when he fears it. For the Hebrew word chalah always carries in it the notion of sickness and weakness, and that sometimes accompanied with pain and torment, (as in the case of Hezekiah, Isa. xxxviii. 1.), and proceeding from a deadly wound, as in the case of Ahab, 1 Kings, xxii. 34. It may therefore be translated here a tormenting or a deadly evil, or an evil that disables a man, and makes him so feeble and languishing, thas he is unfit for any thing. For the LXX. frequently render the noun that comes from hence, psi; see ver. 17. of this chapter. [n] And, seventhly, Though they escape these dangers, there are many other ways whereby their riches may be lost, which seem to be included in that phrase, ver. 14. injan ra, an evil business, or matter; which may signify, as well the way of their perishing, as that they perish with the great grief and affliction of him that loseth them. Whether that way be, by their very merchandise in the way of their trade, or by their own frauds and subtilties in traffic, whereby they over-reach themselves; or lastly, by other accidents, as we call them, such as fire, storms, &c.

And then follows the eighth, That he leaves his son a beggar, which is no small trouble to them both, he having bred his son in expectation of an estate, which never comes to him; or if it do, neither father nor son can enjoy it longer than their lives, ver. 14. 15. Which is the ninth thing; if their riches do not leave them, they must leave their riches, ver. 16.

[o] And whilst they live, (which is the last, ver. 17.), they spend their time, perhaps either in filthy lusts (as Gregory Thaumaturgus understands those words, eateth in darkness) with vile harlots, or in wretched niggardice, and such sordid penuriousness, that the miser even eats up himself, taking no joy, no comfort in any thing that he possesses. So darkness signifies being opposed to light in scripture, which denotes joy and gladness: and thus the LXX. here explain it by adding a word, in darkness and in mourning. It may refer also to this. dismal habitation (to which I have had respect in the paraphrase) in some bye-place, where he hopes nobody can find him, or in a room whose windows are shut up and barred for fear of thieves. The last clause of this verse runs thus word for word in the Hebrew, "Sorrow is multiplied," (or there is much sorrow), "and sickness, and wrath," the force of which I have expressed in the paraphrase ; and shall only note, that the first word sorrow (as was observed, ch. i.), includes in itself indignation, together with heaviness; and the next word, sickness, includes in it pain and anguish, as was ob