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Ecc_10:17 Blessed [art] thou, O land, when thy king [is] the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
Ver. 17. Blessed art thou, O land, &c.] Ita nati estis ut bona malaque vestra ad Remp. pertineant. You governors are of such condition as that your good or evil deeds are of public concernment, saith he in Tacitus. {a} It is either wealth or woe with the land, as it is well or ill governed.
When thy king is the son of nobles.] Well born and yet better bred; for else they will be noti magis quam nobiles, notable or notorious, but not noble {b} Our Henry I (surnamed Beauclerc) was often heard to say that an unlearned king was no better than a crowned ass. {c} Sure it is that royalty without righteousness is but eminent dishonour, gilded rottenness, golden damnation. Godly men are the excellent ones of the earth, {Psa_16:1-11} the Beraeans were more noble, {d} or better gentlemen, than those of Thessalonica, non per civilem dignitatem, sed per spiritualem dignationem, not by civil, but by spiritual dignity; without which riches, revenue, retinue, high birth, &c., are but shadows and shapes of nobleness. "Since thou hast been precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable," saith God, {Isa_43:4} who is the top of good men’s kin, as religion is the root. But for want of this it was that Jehoiakim, though royally descended, is likened to an ass; {Jer_22:19} and Antiochus, though a mighty monarch, is called a "vile person." {Dan_11:21}
And thy princes eat in due season for strength, &c.] Being modest and moderate, not diffluent and debauched. Great men should not "cater for the flesh," {Rom_13:11-14} but so serve the body that the body politic may be served by it, and the Lord by both. Did ever any one see King Dejotarus dancing or drunken? saith Cicero, {e} and this he holds to be a singular commendation. See Pro_31:3-4. {See Trapp on "Pro_31:3"} {See Trapp on "Pro_31:3"} See my Common Place of Abstinence.
{a} Annal., lib. iv.
{b} Princeps bonis moribus et liberaliter institutus. - Jerome, in loc.
{c} Speed.
{d} åõãåíåóôåñïé . {Act_17:11}
{e} Orat. pro Rege Deiotaro.