It is the part of man, &c. That is, a man should prepare in his heart and soul what he is to say; but after all, it must be the Lord that must govern his tongue, to speak to the purpose. Not that we can think any thing of good without God's grace: but after that we have (with God's grace) thought an... [ Continue Reading ]
_Open. Or approved. (Menochius) --- Hebrew, "pure in his own eyes." He sees not his own defects, chap. xxi. 2., and Job xxviii. 23. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Open. Hebrew, "roll on," and refer all to God's glory. (Menochius) (Psalm xxxvi. 5.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Day. His obduracy is of his own choice, and must serve to set the divine justice in the clearest light, Ecclesiasticus xxxii. 14., and Exodus ix. 16. Others hence infer that predestination is gratuitous, and reprobation in consequence of sin. It seems rather that temporal goods and evils are here m... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hand. And he seems to be very quiet, chap. xi. 21. Septuagint, "but he who putteth his hand in hands unjustly, to make a contract, is," &c. --- The, &c., is taken from the Roman Septuagint and occurs before, chap. xv. 27._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Mercy to the distressed, chap. iii. 3., and xiv. 22._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Peace. Thus Jacob, Joseph, Daniel, &c., were admired by their former enemies._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Judgment. Or "let it not err," as people look upon the decisions of kings as so many oracles. We ought to act in this manner, as long as they are not visibly unjust. God gave a principal spirit (Psalm l. 14.) to Saul, David, Solomon, and to the judges whom he appointed, 1 Kings x. 9., Deuteronomy x... [ Continue Reading ]
_Bag. Many read sæculi, "of the world." So Ven. Bede, &c. All God's appointments are perfectly just, chap. xi. 21. It was the custom for people to carry balances to weigh money, before it was coined. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Loved. Yet none are more exposed to flattery and deceit than kings. (Seneca, ep. xxi.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Life. A mild government resembles a serene sky. (Sen.) (Clem.) (Job xxix. 23.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Get. Septuagint, "the nests of wisdom....and the nests of prudence;" or Churches of Christ, or places of education, may be intended. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fall. Our first parents had given way to pride, before they sinned publicly. (St. Augustine, City of God xiv. 13.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shall. Hebrew, "adds learning," both to himself and to others. Those who are wise and eloquent, must be preferred before those who have only the former qualification. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Heart. Or knowledge. (Haydock) --- Wisdom gives beauty to eloquence._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Mouth. The want of food, Ecclesiastes vi. 7._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Diggeth. Earnestly pursues. --- Fire. James iii. 16. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Words. Protestants, "a whisperer separateth chief friends."_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lips. These motions indicate fury and pensiveness._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Justice. To the just longevity is promised. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Valiant. Alexandrian Septuagint adds, "and a prudent man than a great farmer." Greek: Georgiou. (Haydock) --- Cities. To govern the passions is more difficult. (St. Gregory, Past. iii. p. Adm. x.; St. Thomas Aquinas, [Summa Theologiae] ii. 2. q. 128. a. 6.) Latius regnes avidum domando_ Spiritum,... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER XVI. _ Lord. So the apostles had recourse to them, (Acts i. 26.) as the Cophts[Copts?] and Nestorians still do when there is a dispute about the election of a patriarch. (Renaudot iv. Perpet. i. 7. and 9.) --- This mode may settle disputes, chap. xviii. 18. But we must not have recourse to... [ Continue Reading ]