Wesley Corpus

Chapter VIII The benefit of wisdom, ver. 1. Honour the king and obey God, ver. 2 - 5. Prepare for sudden evils, and for death, ver. 6 - 8. Marvel not at oppression, or the present impunity of the wicked, ver. 9 - 11. It shall be well with the good, and ill with the wicked, though not immediately, ver. 12 - 14. Therefore chearfully use the gifts of God, and acquiesce in his will, ver. 15 - 17 Who is wise - There are few wise men in this world. Who knoweth - How few understand the reasons of things and can rightly expound the word and works of God. Wisdom - Makes a man venerable, chearful, mild, and amiable. The face is put for the mind, because the mind discovers itself in the countenance. Boldness - The roughness or fierceness. Changed - Into gentleness and humility. The oath - Because of that oath which thou hast taken to keep all God's laws, whereof this of obedience to superiors is one. To go - In discontent, withdrawing thyself from the king's service or obedience. Stand not - if thou hast offended him, persist not in it. For - His power is uncontrollable. The commandment - Solomon passes to a new subject. Shall feel - Shall be delivered from those mischiefs which befal the disobedient. Discerneth - Both when, and in what manner he must keep the commands of God. Because - There is a fit way and season for the accomplishment of every business, which is known to God, but for the most part hidden from man. Therefore - Because there are few who have wisdom to discern this, most men expose themselves to manifold miseries. For - Men are generally ignorant of future events, and therefore their minds are disquieted. To retain - To keep it in the body. This is added as another evidence of man's misery. No discharge - In that fatal conflict between life and death, when a man is struggling with death, though to no purpose, for death will be always conqueror. Neither - And although wicked men, who most fear death, use all possible means, to free themselves from it, yet they shall not escape it. The most subtle wickedness cannot outwit death, nor the most daring wickedness out - brave it.