ty in Jacob, neither hath be feen perverfness in Ifrael. Others think he

overlooks and winks at the Sins of his own People, i. e, to be fure in their conceit, themselves and thofe of their Sect and Party; and the most Pious and Judicious are puzzled what to make of them, as appears from the Various Explication which is giv'n them. Some think that by iniquity and perverfnefs, Balaam underftands Idols, which the Hebrews often call Vanity, Iniquity, Falfhood and Perverfnefs. But this fenfe can have no place here, because God had not only feen Idols among the Ifraelites, but like- Ex. 32. 9. wife had moft feverely punish'd them Deut. 9. for having them. Others think they fignify Great and hainous Crimes, which abounded among the Heathens, and were not to be found among the Ifraelites. But neither is this true for God upbraids them frequently with the greatest Enormites, and their leaft faults were fo much the more hainous, because they were the People of God. In fine, fome fancy that 'tis faid, that he doth not behold nor perceive their iniquity and perverfness, because he had pardoned them, as if he had

never

13.

never feen them. But this, as Calvin has obferv'd, is but a fhift, for the Names Jacob and Ifrael don't only defign the Godly, who had repented, and to whom God had pardoned their faults, but the whole body of the Nation in General, whom God had often pun fh'd for their Sins. We muft therefore obferve with Gataker, and feveral others, that the Hebrew Words which are render'd beheld and feen, don't only fignify a bare fight of things (for in this fenfe God fees the greatest Crimes as well as the beft Actions) but also a seeing them with approbati.66.2. on. Thus 'tis faid that God looketh Hab.1.13. to the contrite, and is of purer Eyes than that he can behold Evil, 1. e. That he approveth the Contrite, but cannot approve Sin. We must likewise observe, that the Hebrew Particle Beth, which we Tranflate in, frequently fignifies againft, as the Verfions have very well render'd it in feveral other places. We muft yet further remark, that the words which are Tranflated equity, (6) and perverfnels, do often fignify an Outrage and Vexation, or Affliction and Trouble. The Text then should be render'd, He does not approve Afflictions

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от

or Outrages against the Pofterity of Jacob, nor of Vexation or Trouble against the Pofterity of Ifrael, i. e. He does not approve that they fhould be Afflicted or vex'd. This is very agreeable to all that Balaam faid, and did on this occafion, and ftops the Mouths of Libertins and Enthuhafts.

IV. The profane do alfo daily abuse that precept of Selmom, which Ecclef. 7. the Verfions render, Be not righteous 16. over much,neither make thy felf over Wife, as if one could be too righteous or too Wife; and Interpreters are oblig'd to call in their fancies, to find a reasonable explanation for this Sentence. The generality of the Rabbi's pretend, that Solomon here forbids Men to be fcrupulous about indifferent things, or even about things commanded; as for example, whether we are oblig❜d to Faft frequently, becaufe God Commands Fafting, or whether it be Lawful to kill Venemous and hurtful Animals, fince God has Commanded that we should not kill, and fuch like fcruples. Some, as Amefius, think, Medul. 1. that Solomon does not fpeak of true Righteousness, but of imaginary and Hypocritical Righteoufnefs, fpringing

from

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2. C. 2.

cule us.

from a defire to be prais'd of Men, Pineda and Tirinus fay, that the meaning is, that we are not to look upori our felves as too Righteous, when God puts us to the Tryal, tho' our confciences do not in any thing ac But Solomon evidently speaks of the Juftice which a Man is to exercife towards others, as what goes before and after plainly fhews. They muft then be Tranflated, Do not exercife Fuftice too rigorously, neither fet up for a Man of too great Wisdom, by pretending to reform and regulate all things; as feveral Learned Men have render'd them.

V. All the Verfions alfo make Salomon give an advice, with which Prodigals divert themselves, Caft thy bread upon the Waters and you shall find it after many Days. Interpreters ftraigth fall upon the Allegory to make fenfe of it, and fay, that Solomon here advises us to give Alms to the Poor, tho' that looks like throwing Bread upon the Waters, and that God promises that in process of time we fhall receive the Fruits of them. But if they had obferv'd that the Hebrew Word Lechem not only fignifies Bread, but likewife

likewife Wheat, of which it is made, and that the Word Majim, not only fignifies the Sea, Rivers, and Waters, but also Ground that is moift, or lies near the Waters (as may be feen in (9) many places of Scripture) they had eafily understood that this Text fhould be Tranflated, Throw thy Grain into moilt Ground, and in procefs of time thou shalt find it again: And if they had render'd it thus, they had not put the Myfticks to the trouble of Moralizing, nor given Libertines the pleafure of Profaning it.

But

VI. All the Verfions do likewise fay that the Fatnefs of the Olive honours God and Man, and that Wine cheareth Juges 9. God and Man, from which fome take 9.13. occafion to Jeft upon the Scriptures, and others, who are not come to fuch a height of Wickednefs, to encourage themselves in their Debaucherie. it must be confider'd that the Hebrew Words which are render'd God and Men, Signifie Soverains, and Perfons of Quality, in feveral places of Scrip- (10) ture. It muft likewife be observ'd, that the Oyl used at the Confecration of Princes, was called the Oyl of Joy, and every body knows that the E4.

ftern