Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
Here the wise man takes the reverse of the proposition, and cautions against overmuch wickedness. But here again, common sense must see that, as all wickedness is prohibited, the smallest transgression is overmuch, if in the general acceptation of the word wickedness, the wise man directed this precept to guard from. But if by the former, self-righteousness was aimed at, by which souls too often presume, and in that presumption sometimes fall; so in this latter, by overmuch wickedness, if the Preacher meant to preserve a soul, distressed by the view of his own unworthiness, from despair, great beauty appears in both precepts, and both are agreeable to the analogy of faith. It is as if he had said, Ye whom grace hath restrained from evil, take no confidence therefrom, as if your own arm had wrought it. And ye, who have fallen by sin, let not the greatness of it make you despond: And let the Reader judge how corresponding to the grace of the gospel of Christ are both these precepts.