Second, he calls back from evil by consideration of future punishment.
If a man has lived many years etc. Above he exhorted to good by consideration of reward; here he intends to call back from evil by consideration of future punishment: and indeed he does this in this order. First he says that memory of the future time must be maintained: second, he reproves present joy; third, he exhorts to cast away all wickedness and abundance of malice.
(Vers. 8.). He exhorts and admonishes to maintain the memory of future time, however much a man may abound in present prosperity. On account of which he says: If a man has lived many years, because in truth, even if they seem many, they nevertheless cannot be many, according to that passage in Ecclesiasticus 18: "The number of the days of man, at most are a hundred years." And in all these he shall have rejoiced, according to those of whom it is said in Job 21: "They hold the timbrel and rejoice at the sound of the organ; they spend their days in prosperity," etc. He ought to remember the time of darkness, that is, the day of judgment, which will be a dark time; Zephaniah 1: "That day is a day of wrath, a day of darkness and gloom"; and of many days. These are the days or years of eternity; in the Psalm: "One day in your courts is better than a thousand." He ought to remember the day of judgment, so that he may fear; he ought to remember glory, so that he may hope and rejoice, and this according to the alternation of works; whence Ecclesiasticus 11: "In the day of good things, be not unmindful of evil things, and in the day of evil things, be not unmindful of good things." Days, I say, many, which when they shall have come, past things will be convicted of vanity, that is, they will be manifestly shown to have been vain; whence Jerome: When the kingdom of Christ shall have come, the other kingdoms will vanish. Past things will be convicted, namely of the vanity of mutability: Wisdom 5: "What has pride profited us? Or what has the boasting of riches brought us? All these things have passed away like a shadow." They will be convicted of the vanity of iniquity: Ecclesiasticus 17: "What is more wicked than what flesh and blood has devised?" And these things will be convicted; Ephesians 5: "For the things that are convicted by the light are made manifest."
(Vers. 9.). Rejoice therefore, O young man, etc. Here secondly he reproves present joy, asserting that man must be judged for it; whence speaking ironically he says: Rejoice therefore, O young man, in your youth, because that age is suited to joy; whence Wisdom 2: "Come, let us enjoy the creature as swiftly as in youth"; as if to say: do not rejoice in youth, lest you grieve in old age; whence Ecclesiasticus 5: "Do not follow the desire of your heart in your strength." And he explains this joy, so that it may be complete both in mind and in deed and in outward sign. As to the joy of delight in the mind he says: And let your heart be in what is good, as if to say: do not rejoice in heart, because above in chapter 7: "The heart of the fool is where joy is." As to delight in deed: And walk in the ways of your heart, that is, outwardly fulfill in deed what you desire in heart, as if to say: do not walk thus; Ecclesiasticus 18: "Son, do not go after your desires, and turn away from your own will." As to joy in outward sign he says: And in the sight of your eyes, so that the eye may gaze upon those things which the heart desires and your hand performs, according to what is said of those concerning whom 2 Peter 2 states: "Having eyes full of adultery and unceasing sin," as if to say: do not walk thus; Isaiah 3: "Because the daughters of Zion are lifted up and have walked with outstretched neck and wanton glances of the eyes," etc. And that this is spoken ironically is clear, because he threatens evil upon those who rejoice thus; whence he adds: And know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. And therefore all these things are to be fled; Job 19: "Flee from the face of the sword, for the sword is the avenger of iniquity, and know that there is judgment."
(Vers. 10.). Remove anger etc. Here thirdly he exhorts to cast away all wickedness, namely malice of heart and uncleanness of flesh. As to malice of heart he says: Remove anger from your heart, so that you may not be angry, because anger renders a man wicked; Matthew 5: "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment"; and if he is angry, he ought not to persist in it; whence Ephesians 4: "Let not the sun go down upon your wrath." As to uncleanness of flesh he says: And remove evil from your flesh, and thus he excludes all uncleanness of the flesh; James 1: "Casting away all uncleanness and abundance of malice, receive with meekness the engrafted word." He removes evil from the flesh who mortifies it; Colossians 3: "Mortify your members which are upon the earth." And the reason for this is given: For youth and pleasure are vain, because they pass away quickly; 1 John 2: "The world passes away and its desire," and therefore Wisdom 5: "What has pride profited us? Or what has the boasting of riches brought us? All these things have passed away like a shadow," etc.