a pledge, and not a debt; and raiment pledged, the
covering of a man when in bed, and not the bed itsell';
for even wife and children might be taken for debt,
2 Kings iv. 1. Matt. viii. ø,5. This is said to deter from
suretyship, especially in such circumstances; since a
man may bring himself into such a condition as not to
have a bed to lie on; yea, to have it taken from under
him when upon it; and be turned out from house and
home, naked and destitute.
Ver. 28. Remove not the ancient landmarie which thy
.fathers have set.] Or, the ancient border or boundary {*};
by which lands, estates, and inheritances, were marked,
bounded, and distinguished; set by ancestors in agree-
ment with their neighbours; which to remove was
contrary to a law, and a curse is denounced upon those
dthat did it, Deut. xix. 14. and xxvii. 17. and was always
reckoned a very heinous crime in early times; see teh
note on Job xxiv. 2. This was so sacred a thing among
the Romans, that they had a deity which presided over
those bounds, and had its name from them. Some
apply this, in a political sense, to laws of long stand-
ing, and customs of long prescription; and others in-
terpret it, in a theological sense, of doctrines and prac-
tices settled by the fathers of the church; which, if
understood of Christ and his apostles only, will be al-
lowed; but if of the ancient fathers of the church that
followed them, it should not be received; since they
were but fallible men, and guilty of many errors and
mistakes, both in doctrine and practice.
Ver. c29. Seest thou a n:an diligent in his business?
&c.] Iu the business of his calling, be it what it will,
whether for himself or his master; constant in it, swift,
ready, and expeditious at it; who industriously pur-
sues it, cheerfully attends it, makes quick dispatch of
it; does it off of hand, at once, and is not slothful in it,
nor weary of it; when y9u have observed and taken
notice of such a man, which is not very common, you
may, without a spirit of prophecy, foresee that such a
man will rise in the world. He shall stand before kiags;
he shall not stand beJbre mean men, or obscure persons *;


he shall not continue in the service of ignoble persons,
or keep company with them; but he shall be taken
into the service of princes and noble men, and be ad-
mitted into their presence, and receive thvours from
them; as Joseph, who was industrious and diligent in
his business in Potiphar's house, was in process of time
advanced, and stood before Pharaoh king or' Egypt,
Gen. xxxix. 4. and xli. 46. This may be spiritually
applied. Every good man has a 'work or business to do
in a religious way; some in a higher sphere, as officers
of churclies, ministers and deacons; the work or' the
one lies in reading, study, meditation, and prayer, in
the ministration of the word and ordinances, and other
duties of their once; and the business of the others in
taking care of the poor, and the secular afthits of the
churches; others in a lower Way, and common to all
Christians, which lies in the exercise of grace, and per-.
formance of all good works, relative to themselves,
their families, and the church of God. Now ministers
that are diligent in teaching and ruling; and deacons
that do their office well; and private Christians, who
are steadfast and immovable, always abounding in the
work of the Lord; are ready to every good work,
heartily engaged in it, and constantly at it; shall not
be company for the sons of darkness, unregenerate
men, who are in the dark, and darkness itself; what
communion has light with darkness, with works of
darkness, they should be not workers of? or have any
fellowship with the prince of darkness, from whose
power they are delivered; but shall have society with
the saints, who are made kings and priests unto God;
shall be admitted into the presence of the King ofkings.
now, and have communion with him; and shall stand
before him at the great day with confidence, and not.
be ashatned; shall stand at Iris right hand, and shall be
for ever with him. So the Jews {p} interpret this place,
he shall not stand before darlc ones, in hell; he shall
stand before Icings, in the garden of Eden, in paradise;
that is, in heaven.

Vet. 1. WHEN thou sittest to eat with a ruler, &c.]
Either a supreme ruler, a king, or a subordinate
rulcr, a nobleman, a judge, a civil magistrate, a
person of honour, dignity, and authority; and to sit at
table with such is sometimes allowed, and is always
reckoned an honour; this particularly diligent and
industrious persons are admitted to, who not only are
brought to stand before kings and great persons, but
to sit at table with. them, and eat food with them.
And now the wise man advises such how to behave
themselves when this is the case: consider diligently
what is be. fore thee; or, considering consider a: take
special notice of the food and drink set upon the
table, and consider well which may be most proper

and safe to eat and drink of; for though a man may
lawfully eat of whatsoever is set before him; every
creature of God being good, if it be received with
thanksgiving, and sanctified by the word of God and
prayer; yet it is a piece of wisdom to make us eof that
which is most conducive to health, and less insnaring;
and to observe moderation in all, and not indulge to
gluttony and drunkenness; and he should consider
also who is before him, which sense the words will
bear; the ruler that has invited him, and sits at the
table with him, and take care that he says or does no-
thi9ng that may give him offence; and also the noble
personages that are guests with him, and behave to-
wards them suitably to their rank and dignity; observe

{n} \^Mlwe lwbg\^ terminum antiquum, Pagninus, Junius & Tremellius,
Piscator, Michaelis, Schultens.
{o} \^Mykvx ynpl\^ ante obscuros, Mercerus, Junius & Tremellius,
Piscator; coram obscuris, Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis; in conspectu
obscurorum, Schultens.

















XXIII.

and safe to eat and drink of; for though a man may
lawfully eat of whatsoever is set before him; every
creature of God being good, if it be received with
thanksgiving, and sanctified by the word of God and
prayer; yet it is a piece of wisdom to make use of that
which is most conducive to health, and less insnaring;
and to observe moderation in all, and not indulge to
gluttony and drunkenness: and he should consider
also who is before him, which sense the words wilt
bear; the ruler that has invited him, and sits at the
table with him, and take care that he says or does no-
thing that may give him offcute; and also the noble
personages that are guests with him, and behave to-
wards them suitably to their rank and dignity; observe

Gloss. in T. Bab. Saukedrhb fol. 1o4. 2.
{q} \^Nybt Nyb\^ 1,21n 1':2 considerando ›ontidera, Pagninul, Vatablu.~Piscator~
Mercerus, Gejerus.