Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: [so doth] a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom [and] honour.
Ver. 1. Dead flies cause the ointment, &c.] The Preacher had said that "one sinner destroys much good"; Ecc 9:18 here he affirms the same of "one sin"; be it but a small sin, a peccadillo, no bigger than a few "dead flies" fallen into a pot of sweet odours, it is of that stinking nature, that it stains a good man's esteem, and blows his reputation. A great many flies may fall into a tarbox, and no hurt done. A small spot is soon seen in a swan, not so in a swine. Fine lawn is sooner and deeper stained than coarse canvas. A city upon a hill cannot be hid; the least eclipse or aberration in the heavenly bodies is quickly noted and noticed. If Jacob, a plain man, a deal deceitfully, the banks of blasphemy will be broken down in a profane Esau thereby. If his unruly sons falsify with the Shechemites, he shall have cause to complain, "Ye have made me to stink among the inhabitants of the land." Gen 34:30 If Moses marry an Ethiopian woman, it shall be laid in his dish by his dearest friends. Num 12:1 If Samson go down to Timnah, the Philistines will soon have it by the end, "told" it will be "in Gath, published in the streets of Askelon." If David do otherwise than well at home, the name of God will soon stink abroad, 2Sa 12:14 if Josiah go up unadvisedly against Pharaohnecho, and fall by his own folly, this "shall be his derision in the land of Egypt." Hos 7:16 The enemies of God will soon compose comedies out of the Church's tragedies, and make themselves merry in her misery. She is said to be "fair as the moon," Son 6:10 which, though it be a beautiful creature and full of light, yet is she not without her black spots and blemishes; (Galileo used his telescope to discover mountains on her). These the Church malignant is ever eyeing and aggravating, passing by or depraving the better practices of God's people. As vultures they hunt after carcases, b as swine they musk in the muck hill, as beetles they would live and die in horse dung. It must be our care as much as may be to maintain our reputation, to cut off all occasion of obloquy, to be "blameless and harmless," Php 2:15 fair to the eye and sweet to the taste as that tree in paradise; without blemish from head to foot, as Absalom was; Non aliunde noscibiles quam de emendatione vitiorum pristinorum, c as Tertullian saith of the Christians of his time, known from all others by their innocence and patience. That was a good choice, for this purpose, that he himself made, Malo miserandum quam erubescendum, d I had rather be pitied than justly reproached. Strive we should to be as Paul was, a "good savour," 2Co 2:14 and not to go out, as they say the devil doth, in a stench.
a Aπλαστος. - Sept.
b Vultures ad male olentia feruntur. - Basil.
c Tertul. Ad Scapul.
d Tertul. De Fuga Pers.