strength to strength, and to hold on and persevere to
the end.
Vet. 25. There is a wary that seemeth right unto a
man, &c.] The same iS said in ch. xiv. 12`. and is here
repeated because of the excellence, importance, and'
usefulness of the observation, and to excite an attention
to it; that men may be more diligent to look into their
ways, and be more cautious where and how' they walk,
and be more considerate and thoughtful of the issue of
them.
Ver. 26. He that laboureth, laboureth .for himself,
&c.] ú Man is born for labour; it is a part of the curse
inflicted on him for sin; and his condition and circum-
stances are such as make it necessary, for such who
will not work ought not to eat; and it is labouting for
food and raiment which is here meant, and that is for a
man's self; for if he labours to be rich arid lay up money,
and purchase estates, these are more for others than
himself, and indeed he knows not for whom he labours.
It is indeed in the original, the soul of him that labours {l},
labours for himself; and it may be understood of the
labour of, the soul for spitfual things, for spiritual
food, for that meat which endures to everlasting life;
and may intend the various exercises of refigion in
which men employ themselves, that they may have
food for their souls, and grow thereby; such as pray-
ing, reading the Scriptures, attending on the mini-
stry of the word and ordinances: and this labouting.is
for themselves; for the good and welfare of their im-
mortal souls, for their spiritual prosperity, for the nou-
rishing of them up unto everlasting life. It may be
applied to Gospel ministers, who labour in the Lord's
vineyard, in the word and doctrine; and though in
the first place they labour to promote the glory of
God and the interest of Christ, and the good of souls,
yet it also turns to their own account; and indeed they
labour to be accepted of the Lord, and at last shall
hear, Well done, good and .faithful Servant ; enter into
the joy of thy Lord. Some render the words, he that is
troublesome is troublesome to himself{m}, as such an one
is, not only to others, but to himself also; he is the
cause of great disquietude to his own mind. For his
mouth craveth it of him: that he should labour, in
order to satisfy his appetite; for all the labour of man is
for his mouth, to feed that and fill his belly, Eccl. vi. 7.
or his mouth boweth unto him {n}; it is as it were an hum-
ble.supplicant to him, entreatlug him to labour to get
food for it, and satisfy its wants; or as a beast bows
down to feed itself; or boweth upon him*; it obliges
him, as the Vulgate Latin version; it compels him,
whether he will or no, to work, its necessities are so
pressing: and this holds good in spiritual things; a
man's mouth, or spiritual appetite, puts him upon the
use of means of spiritual exercises, without which'he
must otherwise be in a starving condition; and is true
of the ministers of the word, whose moufh obliges
them; as itwere; they cannot but speak the things they
have heard and seen: or his mouth reflects upon hint;
upon the man that has been troublesome to himself
and others; the Targum is, "for from his mouth ha-
" miliation shall come to him ;. or his destruction, as
the Syriac version.
Ver. e7. An ungodly man diggeth up evil, &c.] Or a
man ofBelial{p}, a worthless unprofitable man; a man
without a yoke, unsubjected to the law of God; such
a man digs for sin as for a treasure; nor need he go far
for it, he has enough in his own heart, out of the evil
treasure of which he brings forth evil things; though
he is more solicitious and diligent to search into the
sins of others, and dig. up them, which have long lain
buried; as the Manichees raked up the sins of Austin
in his youth; and as the Papists served Beza: but
perhaps the evil of mischief is here rather intended,
which a wicked man costrives and devises; aditch he
digs for others, though oftentimes he falls into it-him-
self; and so the Septuagint and Arabic versions ren-
der it, digs evils for himself; not intentionally but even-
tually; see Psal. vii. 15. and.in his lips there is as a
burning fire; Iris tongue is a tire, it is set on tire of hell,
and it sets on fire the course of nature; and with its
lies, calumnies, and detractions, devours and consumer
the good names, characters, and credit of men; and
deserves no other than sharp arrows of the Almighty,
and coals of ju. niper; even the everlasting tire and
flames of hell, Jam. iii. 6. Psal. lii. 2, 4. and cxx.
3, 4.
Ver. 28. Afroward man soweth strife, &c.] Or a
man ofperversenessesa; in whose heart is frowardness.
and perverseness; and whose mouth speaketh froward
and perverse things, contrary to reason, law, and Gos-
pel; and who has a spirit of contradiction, and is
contrary to all men in his principles and practices;
such a man sows discord and strife wherever he comes,
in families, in neighbourhoods, in churches, in com-
monwealths, in civil and religious societies; and he
seldom fails of finding a soil fit for his purpose, or
ground susceptive of the seed he sows, where it takes
root and thrives; see ch. vi. 19. And a whisperer sepa-
rateth chief friends; one that goes from place to place,
from house to house, carrying tales, whispering into
the ears of persons things prejudicial to the characters
of others, mere lies and falsehoods; such a man by his
conduct separates one friend from another, even chief
friends, that have been for a long time in the closest
and most intimate friendship; he alienates their minds
one from another, so that they will not come near one
another, or keep up any correspondence as before.
The word for chief friends is in the singular number,
and signifies a prince or leader; and such men, accord-
ing to the station they are in, and the influence they have,
separate princes, as the Vatgate Latin version renders
it, from their subjects, and stir up the latter to rebel
against them; at least alienate their affections from
them; and pastors of churches from their flocks, and
husbands from their wives: and such a man, at last,
when found out, separates his best friends from himself,
as well as from one anoth,er; who droop bim as a
worthless person, yea, as dangerous to converse with;

{l} \^lme vpn\^ anima laborantis, V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Piscator,
Mercerus, Gejerus, Michaelis; anima laboriosi, Cocceius.
{m} Ipse molestus molestiam affert sibi, Junius & Tremellius.
{n} \^whyp wyle Pka\^ incurvavit se ei os suum, Pagninus; incurvat se
ei os suum, Mercerus, Gejerus.
{o} Inflexit se super cum os suum, Montanus; innititur super cum,
Vatablus.
{p} \^leylb vya\^ vir Belijahal, Montanus, Tigurine version, Mercerus.
{q} \^twkpht vya\^ vir perversitatum, Montanus, Baynus, Schultens;
vir perversitatibus deditus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.