4.12 Ezek. 14.5 Isa. 49.2 Ps. 45.5 Rev. 1.16 only his study is in this order first he searcheth and seeketh out wisdome as an antidote against the danger of his second studies to discover the wickedness folly and madness of sensual pleasures And therefore we shall observe that in the particular wickedness which he specifieth in the next verse namely the inticements of a whorish woman he doth often premise the Commendations of wisdome and the study of that as an effectual prevention of that mischief Prov. 2.10 19. 5.1 2 3. 6.6 20 24. Prov. 7.4 5. 9.10 13. V. 26. And I find more bitter than Death the woman whose heart is snares and nets c. He sheweth the discovery which he had made by his study to find out the wickedness of folly and foolishness of madness by instancing in one particular vanity of the wiles and subtilties of harlots which it was necessary for him to add to the former catalogue of vanities that he might give to the Church then and leave a record for all posterity to take notice of his special Repentance for those gross miscarriages which by that means he had been drawn into And here he gives 1. The Character of an whorish woman described 1. By her subtilty Her heart is snares and nets her cunning devices to deceive and intangle sensual persons are as gins laid to catch silly creatures who are entised with the bait but discern not the danger See Prov. 2.16 6.24 26. 7.5 9.16 17. 22.14 2. By her power her hands wherewith she catcheth holdeth embraceth him are as strong cords to hale simple fools as an oxe to the slaughter Prov. 7.13 21 22. Judg. 16.15 19.2 Here is the great danger of these nets and bands to the souls of men They are more bitter than death More pernitious and bring more heavy miseries with them We read of the bitterness of death 1 Sam. 15.32 and of a worse bitterness the end of a strange woman is bitter as wormwood and her steps take hold on hell Prov. 5.4 5. Death may be sweetned and sanctified made a welcome and desirable thing to a believer 1 Cor. 15.55 Phil. 1.23 Luke 2.29 30. But the bitterness of hell is incurable death may be honourable to dye in a good cause in a good old age to go to the grave in peace lamented desired with the sweet savour of an holy life and many good works to follow one Rev. 14.13 Phil. 1.21 Ps. 116.16 But to consume and putrifie alive under a Tabes of impure lâ—sts to perish as Tiberius did at Capreae quotidie perire me sentio to shipwrack a mans honour ruine his estate shorten his years consume his flesh put a hell into his conscience to bury his name his substance his soul his carkass in the bosome of an Harlot this is a bitterness beyond that of death Prov. 5.9 10 11. 6.26 33. 9.16 17 18. who so pleaseth God shall escape from her but the sinner shall be taken by her Here is intimated the great wrath of God against this sin It is a sin which he useth to give over reprobates and those whom he in special manner hateth unto a sin which few repent of to take hold of the paths of life again Prov. 2.19 22.14 Amos 7.17 Rom. 1.24 28. Eph. 4.18 19. A man is not preserved from the power of this temptation by his own wisdome or strength but only by the supernatural grace of God V. 27.28 Behold this I have found saith the Preacher c. This which he had spoken of vers 26. or which followeth vers 28. saith the Preacher This added 1. To give credit from his wisdome and experience to what he here affirms especially having made so distinct and accurate an inquiry weighing and comparing one by one to find out the account and to come to a determinate and clear judgement in the case and to make a certain conclusion 2. To testifie to the Church his repentance This have I found saith the soul which by sound repentance is returned unto the Congregation of Saints which was before ensnared in the nets and bands of seducing women and that upon serious sad recollected thoughts which he hath not yet given over but doth insist upon the same penitent inquiry still one man amongst a thousand have I found but a woman amongst all those have I not found The meaning is not to condemn one sexe rather than the other for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God Rom. 3.23 and Solomon had known good and wise women as well as men Prov. 18. 22. 19.14 Prov. 12.4 31.10 30. But he speaketh here of his observation according to his former sensual conversation with wanton women which seems to be the reason of the number here mentioned for Solomon had a thousand wives and concubines all strange women of the neighbour wicked nations which turned away his heart from the Lord unto idols Amongst all these thousand Solomon had not found one good one 1 Reg. 11.1 9 Or the sâ—btil counsels of one man amongst many may more easily be discerned than of any harlot because their flatteries and dalliances do steal away the heart and put out the eyes and judgement and infatuate a man so that he can look no further than the present delights wherewith they do bewitch him Hos. 4.11 Judg. 16.17 21. Prov. 7.21 22. 5.6 V. 29. Lo this only have I found that God hath made man upright but they have sought out many inventions This only He could not discover all the streams of wickedness and folly amongst men but the original and fountain of them all he doth discover namely the corruption of the heart of man by the fall this he found that their wickedness was not from God nor by creation but from themselves and their willing entertainment of the temptation of the serpent Some more subtilly expound these words as a confirmation of the former God made Adam Right and so he continued so long as he was alone but when the Woman was given unto him she tempted him and then they sought out many inventions Because the woman was first in the transgression 1 Tim. 2.14 But here he speaketh of both Sexes together under the name of man and sheweth that they were made without any of this sinful and subtle wisdom after the Image of God endowed with divine wisdom to discern the way unto true happiness and with perfect ability to pursue the same Gen. 1.26 Col. 3.10 But though he were made upright yet he was as a creature mutable so subject to be overcome by temptation and accordingly he did easily admit of the temptation of Satan and sought out many inventions of his own did not content himself with that way to happinesse which God had prescribed but fancied to himself an higher perfection and yielded to follovv those new wayes unto blessedness vvhich Satan and his own deceived heart did
event not answerable to our follies but to his love 5. That we cannot judge of the wisdom or folly the goodness or badness of men by outward events because these happen alike to all Chap. 8.14 9.11 V. 16. There is no remembrance c. What he observed in the general before he now maketh good in two particulars viz oblivion and death which are both alike common to wise men and to fools Wise men may seem to secure at least their names though they cannot their bodies from mortality by such magnificent works as Solomon here wrought and by such noble contemplations as he was conversant in but he assures us here the contrary and elsewhere that Piety onely keepeth the name from rotting with the body Prov. 10.7 Psal. 112.6 Psal. 49.11 12. Jer. 17.13 Time will eat out all the monuments of wisdom or though they continue yet the renown of a wise man doth him no good at all he is not after death sensible of it or comforted with it so Chap. 1.11 new wise men that arise in after Ages will darken and eclipse the honour of those that went before them and so will it be done to them in the Ages that follow To be sure no mere wise or great mans honour separated from Piety will hold pace with his being at the last day there will so much shameful matter be discovered against the wisest of wicked men as they shall the â—â—se all their renown and shall appear to be vessels of dishonour and shame for evermore 1 Cor. 4.5 2 Tim. 2.20 And how dieth the wise man as the foâ—l The second fate common to both Thâ—s how is a passionate interrogation noting grief that it is so wonder that it is no otherwise and indignation or disdain that thingâ— so exceeding different in their worth should both of them perish alike Thus there is a Quomodo dolentis of grieving Lam. 1.1 admirantis of wondring Acts 2.7 8. Indignantis or objurgantis of chiding and disdain Joh. 5.44 Matth. 23.33 And because it may be objected That this Argument may as well disable Piety from making a man happy as wisdom Since the same question may be framed of them as well as of these How dieth the just man as the unjust 〈◊〉 must remember that Piety followes a manâ— and so abides with him after death which no other acquired excellencies do either as ornaments or as comforts Rev. 14.13 Death doth not cut off their spiritual life and union with Christ which was that which made them happy here Wicked men are dead being alive 1 Tim. 5.6 and good men livâ— in death Joh. 11.25 26. Mat. 22.32 therefore the Jews called their burying place domus viventium the houses of the living Therefore there is no durable Life or Honouâ— but in the fear of the Lord. V. 17. Therefore I hated life c. Thiâ— is the effect which this great vanity of thâ— most excellent humane endowment wrougth in the heart of Solomon made him weary of living to so little purpose as to dye at last like the basest of men He saw no loveliness or desireableness in life it self though â—he chiefest outward blessing all the course â—hereof being full of evil grievous cruciaâ—ing disquieting labour all which at last â—uns down like the waters of Jordan into the same lake of death with the other refuse of men Many mens poverty pains sickness worldly troubles have caused them to complain of their life but here is one who had health peace honour abundance of all the contents which the world could afford not murmuringly but as it were judiciously and critically making the same complaints The greatnesse of his wisdom being such as that all the comforts of life were too narrow to satisfie the inquiries of it he saw little valuable or desireable in it Here observe 1. That life it self is too mean a thing to bring full content to the soul of man It must be something better then life which must do it Psal. 63.3 2. That in the greatest confluence of worldly things the life of a man may be full of grievous labour and he weary of it not onely out of anguish of spirit but of natural wisdom observing the vanity thereof 3. That the wisdom of man without making use of the grace of God is very apt to undervalue the greatest outward blessing which humane nature is capable of as Solomon here doth life There is â—aturally so much distemper in the heart of man that except all things answer his own desires and expectations he will fall out with his very life and pick quarrels with the choycest blessings that God here affords him As a little cloud hides the light of the whole Sun from the eye so amidst a multitude of enjoyments a little labour or trouble which comes along with them doth darken the beauty and remove the content of them all Gen. 30.1 Psal. 59.15 Esth. 5.13 4. Concerning this point of being weary of Life or hating it as an unlovely and undesireable thing we may note 1. That Life is the choycest and principal outward blessing which God here affords us and that unto the comfort and preservation thereof all other outward blessings are directed Mâ—tth 6.25 2. That though in a way of obedience we are to undervalue it at the command of God when he calls on us to lay it down Luke 14.26 Act. 20.24 1 Joh. 3.16 Joh. 12.25 and in comparison of a better life we may groan for a deliverance from it and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 yet it is a great fault out of passion murmuring outward troubles nay out of largeness of heart as here Solomon doth to dis-esteem and wax weary of so great a blessing Gen. 27.46 Numb 14.2 Job 10.1 36.20 Jon. 4.3 8. V. 18. Yea I hated all my labour c. All those magnificent and excellent works which with so much labour I had wrought They were all so far from ministring unto my heart any solid contentment that I grew wholly out of love with them had no regard nor respect at all unto them If by hatred here and in the former verse be meant only an abatement of that love and delight which his heart might over-sensually take in them then this was a very commendable fruit of the vanity which he discovered in them according to the counsel of the Apostle upon the same ground 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. 1 Joh. 2.15 Love not the world that seems to be a worldly and secular life or Temporal Being nor the things of the world that is the provisions and materials which are the fuel of lust in the world and so hatred sometimes signifies an abatement and moderation of love Matth. 10.37 compared with Luke 14.26 Joh. 12.25 Gen. 29.30 31. But if by Hatred is meant a detestation and abhorrency of them so as to leave off all care of duty to be exercised in wordly things according to the travel which God hath appointed for the sons of men Chap.
whose life is a weariness to them Verse 1 2 3. and in other men who thereby are subject to be envied for their industry and prosperity Verse 4. and thereupon some foolishly give over all imployments Verse 5 6. Others scrape together what they can get and live privately alone out of the eye of the world and from being observed Verse 8. and thereupon he returneth to shew the vanity even of the greatest power when it thus oppresseth the people Vers. 13 14. yea the most regular power through the mutability of the affections of the people Verse 15 16. Vers. 1. SO I returned and considered all the oppressions c. Returned and considered i. e. considered again the verb is put for the adverb as is usual in Scripture in verbs which signifie repeating or iterating of an action as Gen. 25.1 Abraham added and took a wife i. e. took another wife or married again Psal. 106.13 They made haste and forgat i. e. They soon forgat Hos. 9.9 They were profound and corrupted themselves i. e. They deeply corrupted themselves So Isa. 64.4 Gen. 26.18 Rom. 10.20 Psal. 6.10 He had considered violence and injustice in the seat of judgement before Chap. 3.16 and had shewed the vanity of that and yet notwithstanding that a good man should endeavour to rejoyce in his labours But when he looks on it again he finds instead of rejoycing nothing but the tears of oppressed men without strength in themselves without comfort from others which must needs render their liveâ— very grievous and irksome to them all the oppressions It importeth either violent or fraudulent detaining of mens goods or rights 〈◊〉 them Jer. 22.3 Luk. 3.14 and 19.8 1 Thess. 4.6 Jerem. 5.26 27. and behold the tears of such as were oppressed The greatness of this evil is set forth 1. By the grief of such poor oppressed persons it squeezed forth tears out of their eyes Lam. 1.2 2. By their helplesness they had no comforter It is some ease of a man in sorrow to see others pity him and a great aggravation of misery to be without a comforter when a mans adversaries are so powerfull so malicious and cruel that others are affraid so much as to pity him Job 6.14 15. and 19.21 3. By their impotency to escape from the hand of their oppressours So much is implyed in the next words which way ever we read them whether so as to repeat the negative of the former clause with the later which is usual Psal. 1.5 Job 30.20 25. 31.20 thus And no power from the hand of their oppressours namely to escape from them They have no power but to weep none to help themselves Or else as we read it On the side of their oppressors there is power so much as to keep others from comforting them So the word hand is sometimes rendred by the word side Psal. 140.6 Prov. 8.3 The doubling of that clause notes the sadness of their condition as Job calls once and again for pity Job 19.21 V. 2. Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead c. I esteemed the dead more happy The dead which are already dead this is emphatical our mortality makes us as it were dead while we live much more our lusts Matth. 8.22 Eph. 2.1 1 Tim. 5.6 Rev. 3.1 Prov. 9.18 There are dead men that are yet living and dead men that are already dead Men are said to be dead likewise that are in any desperate condition under any invincible calamity as Jews in Babylon Isa. 26.19 Ezek. 37.11 12 13. 1 Cor. 15.31 2 Cor. 1.9 10. Oppression is in the Scripture account a killing a devouring of poor men eating them up gnawing their bones Hab. 1.13 Psal. 10.8 10. 14.4 Zeph. 3.3 Ezek. 22.27 Mic. 3.2 3. Psal. 8.3 4 5. The emphasis then of the place is this I esteemed those more happy who are already quite dead then those who do thus continually die and languish away under the cruelties of their oppressors This may seem to be spoken after the judgement of the flesh because grievous miseries and oppressions make men weary of their life and chuse rather to die Death is a haven to such a soul after shipwrack Job 3.13 16. Jon. 4.3 1 Reg. 19.4 And indeed life being the greatest of mere outward blessings and that whereunto all the rest are ordered Matth. 6.25 it can hardly be either rationally or piously undervalued because of the evils which crush and lie heavy on it or the contrary thereunto desired save only in order to the escaping evils which are worse then death and to obtaining of good things which are better then life In which sense the Apostle desired to depart that he might be with Christ Phil. 1.23 Therefore he here speaketh according to the judgement of men under oppression and who lie gâ—oaning and sighing amidst many miseries whose reason is darkned by the weight of their sorrows for oppression in this sense makes even a wise man mad Chap. 7.7 more then the living who are yet alive By the living who are yet alive he seems to mean those poor men who languish and pine away under their oppressions of whom we can say only as we do of a man ready to die He is yet alive his breath is not quite gone he doth live and that is all as Luk. 10.30 He doth not simply prefer death before life but the ease and quietness of death before the miseries and sufferings of a dying life Job 3.17.18 19. V. 3. Yea better is he then both they c. He speaketh only according to the judgment of sense and with relation to the greatness of outward miseries which he who is yet unborn hath not seen in others or felt in himself Job 3.10 10.18 19. seen the evil To see good is to enjoy it Chap. 2.24 To see evil is to have experience of it and to suffer it in which sense the Serpent told Eve that her eyes should be opened to know good by the loss and evil by the danger of it Gen 3.5 and this kind of not being or not having been born though it cannot reasonably or piously be preferred before a sorrowfull life which will consist with the fear of God yet it may before a cursed condition which sinks a man under the wrath of God Matth. 26.24 Here then we may observe 1. The sad condition of men under the power of oppressors when they have not so much abatement of their Misery as to be pitied 2. The cruelty of powerfull oppressors which deterrs others from compassionating those whom they oppress 3. The dangerous temptation which oppression exposeth men unto even to be weary of life as we see in the case of Job Jonah Eliah and others 4. The inconvenience in cases of difficulty which relate any way to conscience to consult with carnal reason which will easily lead us into extreams V. 4. Again I considered all travel and every right work Here he proceedeth to another vanity arising out
risings of heart against Rulers notwithstanding their Errors in Government and Corruptions in living not so much as secretly in their hearts to wrong them both for conscience sake and for fear of wrath as the Apostle likewise directeth Rom. 13.5 Even in thy thought or in thy conscience curse not the King Entertain not any lâ—ght vain contemptuous or dishonourable thoughts of him do not wish any evil to his person crown or Government not so much as in thy inmost and most secret retirements Exod. 22.28 2 Pet. 2.10 Ps. 62.4 1 Sam. 10.27 2 Sam. 19.21 1 Reg. 2.8 Isa. 8.21 The second clause neither curse the Rich is a re-enforcing of the same precept again meaning by the Rich the Governour Isa. 53.9 In the chambers of thy bed or in thy most secret retirement And left a man should presume so to do as conceiving thoughts to be free and far enough out of the sight of the Governor to observe or avenge He addeth the great danger like to ensue by means which they could not so much as imagine or suspect for a bird of the air shall carry the voice and that which hath wings shall tell the matter As if he had said Thy thoughts and secret curses are heard in Heaven by him who will certainly punish them however secret they are kept from men And the Lord can easily find our waies even by bruit Creatures to bring them to light as he did rebuke the madness of Balaam by his asse 2 Pet. 2.16 and punish the pride of Pharaoh and Herod by frogs lice and worms Exod. 8.6 17. Act. 12.23 We read how a flight of Cranes did discover the murther done upon the Poet Ibycus and how Bessus who had slain his father overthrew a neast of swallows chattering because saith he they accuse me for killing my father As our Saviour saith in another case If these should hold their peace the very stones would cry out Luke 19.40 So the Lord can by even dead and inanimate Creatures discover wickedness The earth it self which drank blood in shall disclose and reveal it Gen. 4.11 Isa. 26.21 Hab. 2.11 The Chaldee by birds of the air understand the Angels of Heaven who like winged Eagles shall make report of secret wickedness Others understand it of fame which is a swift and as it were a winged Messenger alluding unto that which is said of Princes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Princes have many Eyes many Ears and long arms that can see and hear and punish offences at at a greater distance CHAP. XI IN the former Chapter he shewed the excellent use of true wisdome as a means of Tranquillity of mind and remedy against the vanity of outward things in ordering our behaviour aright towards Superiors for prevention of those dangers which their displeasure may subject us unto In this Chapter he further discovereth the use thereof unto the same End of comfortable living in ordering of our behaviour towards Inferiors those especially that are in want Concerning which we have First the precept it self concerning substantial and useful charity vers 1. with an effectual reason thereof both drawn from a Metaphor of sowing and reaping seed vers 1. Secondly the manner and measure of this our charity which is to abound towards all that are in want and that enforced by a reason drawn from the uncertainty of future Events now thou art able hereafter thou mayst be disabled therefore do good while thou hast means so to do and thereby provide friends to thy self against any evils which thou also mayst fall into vers 2. Thirdly Both those are illustrated by many similitudes in the which he doth by way of Prolepsis prevent such objections as the covetous hearts of men are apt to make against this duty 1. A man is apt to say That he is neerest to himself and must look after his own supplyes and leave others to look after theirs To which he answereth That as Clouds are not filled with waters to keep them to themselves but to empty them upon the Earth so Gods blessings are not deposited to men only for their own good but as Stewards they are to dispence out of them unto others vers 3. 2. It may be objected If I must relieve seven and eight take notice of the wants of many It will be seven to one if much of this bounty will not be cast away upon unworthy and ungrateful persons who will make no return either unto God or man for it To this he answereth That as it is all one to the master of a tree whether it fall North or South for either way it falls to the owners use and benefit so that good which is done to any man in want out of a desire thereby to honour God and to help our neighbour shall prove beneficial unto him that so doth it whatever the person be unto whom it is done vers 3. 3. It may be objected That it is not yet a season to be thus bountiful there are many Impediments and discouragements thereunto This charge this loss that affliction or danger or expence lyes upon me when I am gotten over these it will then be a fitter time to think on the wants of others when I am secured against mine own To this he answers by another similitude drawn from husbandry He that will not sow his seed lest the wind should blow it away nor reap his corn lest the Clouds should rain and wet it shall never want exceptions against that which yet is necessary to be done Therefore our duty is to embrace the present opportunity and leave the success for the future unto Gods blessing If we could certainly fore-see better weather and more seasonable accommodations for our businesses to morrow than to day we might haply pretend some reason for delay of duty But that is in Gods hand alone as unknown unto us as the way of the wind or of the souls coming into the body or the growing of the bones of an Embryo in the womb Therefore it is our duty to do good at present while we have opportunity and to commit the success of all for the future unto God vers 4 5. Whereupon he repeateth the Exhortation in the same Metaphor sow thy seed scatter thy charity in season and out of season in youth in age at all times on all occasions since thou knowest not which will be most succesful vers 6. And now having thus largely set down various precepts for making the life of a man comfortable and his mind quiet amidst all the vanities of the world He proceedeth to instruct him how he may provide for death and judgement and so secure happiness in another world too for a man might be apt to say when I am thus throughly fitted by these many precepts unto a secure and comfortable manner of living having the favour of great men the blessing of poor men peace within and plenty without when by godly wisdome vexation of mind and the
apt to say if the dayes of darkness be so many let us not make them more then they are by denying our selves the pleasures of light but let us freely indulge to our selves all our delights and live to the length of our desires 1 Cor. 15.32 whereunto Solomon answereth in these words 1. By way of Concession 2. By way of sad and severe praemonition The Concession some would have to be real and serious as if he had said I would not discourage thee from the use of lawfull pleasures nor debar thee such contents as the flower of thine age do call for only I would have thee carefull not to exceed the bounds of temperance and moderation but by the vanity of things present and certainty of future judgement to compose thy mind to sobriety in enjoying and to a readiness to depart from these vain delights as Gal. 5.13 1 Pet. 2.16 enjoy pleasures but be not drowned in them use honest delights but be not a slave unto them Thou seest that all here is Vanity that the fashion of this world the power wealth honour pleasures strength health beauties thereof all vanish and pass away that all of us must be brought before Gods tribunal and all our actions undergo a severe tryal therefore let it be thy chiefest care to provide for that account But the place is much more Emphatical if we understand the Concession Ironically as 1 Reg. 18.27 22.15 Ezek. 28.3 4. Matth. 26.45 Since thou art wilfull and scornfull take thy course Rejoyce in thy youth or because thou art young strong healthfull and thy bones full of marrow Job 21.23 24. And let thine heart cheer thee Symmachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let it be wholly in good or in delights and walk in the wayes of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes Do what thou pleasest let thy wanton and wandring eye enflame the lusts of thy heart and let thy sensual heart give law to thy whole man deny not thy self any thing which heart can wish or eye look on Numb 15.39 1 Joh. 2.16 2 Pet. 2.14 3.2 Ezek. 23.16 Josh. 7.21 Jer. 18.12 Psal. 81.12 Job 21.7 Thus sharply doth the Lord deride the pride and folly of young men in their career of Lust and Vanity and as it were give them over to their own hearts desires Prov. 1.24 28. Rom. 1.28 But know thou Though thou Endeavour to blind thine own eyes with sensual delights to smother thy conscience and to baffle those principles of fear and restraint which God hath planted in thee Though thou wouldst not see yet thou shalt see and know to thy cost Isa. 26.11 1 Reg. 22.25 2 Pet. 3.5 that for All these things For all the sins vanities and excesses of thy youth for all those things which are now so gratefull to thy senses though they please thine eye they will gnaw and sting thy conscience Job 13.26 Psal. 25.7 God whose Word and fear thou now despisest from whose eye thou canst not hide thy sins from whose Tribunal thou canst not withdraw thy conscience will bring thee Perforce whether thou wilt or no when thou shalt in vain call to Mountains and Rocks to hide thee Rev. 6.16 Luk. 23.30 into judgement The Judgement of the great day Jude vers 6. called the Terrour of the Lord 2 Cor. 5.10 Act. 17.30 the consideration whereof should abate the heat of lust and cause the heart of young men to tremble at the wrath to come V. 10. Therefore remove sorrow from thine heart and put away evil from thy flesh for childhood and youth are vanity This is not to be understood Ironically as the former words of the verse foregoing nor in that sense but seriously as a seasonable precept unto young men who are of all other men by reason of the heat of their blood subject unto passions and unto pleasures the one seated in the heart the other in the flesh◠from both which he doth here forewarn them Remove sorrow or anger and indignation from thine heart If we read it sorrow then hereby is meant all those sinfull pleasures which though the deceitfull heart look on as matter of joy yet will certainly fill the heart with sorrow at the last Prov. 14.13 If Anger or Indignation then the meaning is that he should restrain all Inordinate passions and perturbations of mind especially take heed of swelling or storming at the will and wayes of God or at any serious advice minding him thereof James 1.19 Job 6.24 and put away evil sinfull lusts from thy flesh From thy bodily members Rom. 6.13 1 Cor. 6.15 2 Cor. 7.1 1 Pet. 2.11 2 Tim. 2.22 and so some understand the word flesh in the sense as it is used Ezek. 16.26 23.20 2 Pet. 2.10 Jude vers 23. for childhood and youth are vanity The reason of this advice drawn from the vanishing condition of youth and the pleasures thereof Youth is but as the Aurora or early morning of a day quickly gone from thence to noon and from noon to night therefore care should be used to spend it in such a manner as that we may have an abiding fruit and pleasure which will not vanish with the years which were consumed in the pursuance of it CHAP. XII IN this Chapter the Wise man proceedeth to demonstrate this Vanity of youth and old age which quickly run into Death And then concludeth the whole Book He had before by an Emphatical Ironie deterred Young men from those inordinate passions and sensual pleasures which that slippery age is most subject unto and that by the Consideration of that dreadfull account which in the last Judgement God will require of them And because that age of of all other is most apt to put the evil day far from them and to look on Death and Judgement as at a great distance as evil men use to do Ezek. 12.27 2 Pet. 3.3 4. Amos 6.3 therefore he doth by a Prolepsis prevent that shift Young men might be apt to say the things you press us unto are good but we shall have time enough before Judgement come to think of them old age will be a fit season to draw off from the world and to draw nigh to God Solomon here perswades from so dangerous a Resolution shewing the necessity of seeking and serving God in our youth in regard old age will be very unfit to begin so great a work in Whereupon he sheweth 1. The Vanity of Old age setting it forth by a large and an elegant Allegory and by other expressions Vers. 2 6. 2. He presseth the same duty by another argument from the approach of death which taketh away all means of Repentance and conversion vers 7. And having thus by an Induction of many particulars shewed the Vanity both of the Creatures here below and of the Condition of man under the Sun who were they never so excellent could not long enjoy them He doth conclude the whole book 1. With resuming his first conclusion vers
shall fail because man goeth to his long home and the mourners go about the streets These are further degrees of the infirmities of old age when it grows now more decrepit and neer unto the grave Also when they shall be afraid of that which is High Either to go up to any high place for fear of weariness or want of breath or giddiness of brain or disability to hold out or danger of falling from it or lest any thing that is over them should fall down upon them and hurt them and fears shall be in the way They shall go slowly and timorously lest they stumble at every stone or little bunch that is before them lest they be thrust and bruized by any that pass by them lest weariness sickness or some other infirmity come upon them and hinder them in their Journey lest any thing run against them and cast them down no way is so smooth and easie wherein there will not be something to afright them and the Almond-tree shall flourish This some take literally when the Almond flourisheth in the beginning of the spring when the grashopper is fat in the middle of the Summer then shall the desires and delights which in those seasons young men were wont to take fail them they shall find no pleasure in the most beautiful seasons of the year And so they make the spring to be described by the flowring of the Almond-tree which doth first bring forth blossoms Jer. 1.11 and the Summer by the fatness of the grashopper which then is most busie Others understand it of Aversation from sensual desires and from pleasant fruits as we find in Vatablus and Caietan Omnis Cibus suavis reprobabitur flocci faciet coitum ob multam debilitatem But he seemeth to carry on the Allegory and to compare the speed which old age makes to overtake a man unto the Almond-tree which thrusts out her blossoms before any other tree And as the flowers of the Almond are evident fore-runners of approaching Summer so is old age of death The most agreed sense is of Gray hairs which are here compared to the white flowers of an Almond-tree and are called flores Caemiterii So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Sophocles a white hoary head and the grashopper shall be a burthen The lightest hop of so little a creature shall be burthensome to him he is impatient of any the smallest weight Allegorically may be understood either the bowing down of his back and the sticking out of the vertebrae and bones thereof which shall be a heavy weight unto him Or the legs which in a young man were as nimble as the legs of a grashopper shall now be heavy and swell'd with gowts and evil humours so the Chaldee Paraphrase the former sense is most general And Desire shall fail The Desires of meat drink marriage other pleasures whatever is delightful to the eyes ears palate other senses shall all fail A man shall abhor those things which in youth his nature did greatly incline unto Symmachus rendreth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be dissolved so some understand it of the mutual Confederation between the soul and the body which will be loosned and broken The Septuagint read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word the Vulgar Latin retaineth being a shrub whose fruit Galen saith is good for a weak appetite and Avicen ad irritandam Venerem consonant whereunto is the Chaldee Paraphrase Athenaeus numbreth Capparis amongst other hot and salacious herbs Because man goeth to his long home Ad Domâ—m Mundi sui hic enim mundus non est suus So Caietan wittily though impertinently Domus Saeculi The Long Home is the Grave whence men are never more to return into this world any more It is called a mans own and proper house Isa. 14.18 They promise themselves Houses for ever here Ps. 49.12 but they have no abiding home but in the grave Job 7.10 The body is domus pernoctavionis but the Grave Domus aeternitatis and the mourners go about the streets Accompany the Herse unto the Grave Jer. 9.17 Or his friends that visit him go from him mourning and expecting his funeral So we read of wailing in all Streets Amos 5.16 Those hired mourners who with musick were wont to praise the party deceased whereunto alludeth the Evangelist Matth. 9.23 we read of in Varro lib. 6. de lingua latin vid. Scalig. ib. Now from these Infirmities we may be instructed to take care that amidst our own fears we may be guarded by Angels and led in our way and upheld by the Lords right hand who hath promised to give his Angels a charge to keep us in our waies and to make his way plain before our eyes that we may have plain paths for our feet to walk in and every high thing may be taken down Ps. 34.7 Gen. 48.16 Ps. 91.11 Ps. 37.24 Prov. 15.19 Ps. 27.11 Ps. 5.8 Heb. 12.13 Isa. 40.4 Luke 3.4 5 6. 2 Cor. 10.5 to be trees of Righteousness and then we shall bring forth fruit and flourish in old age Ps. 92.12 13 14. When we can bear no burthen our selves If the Lord be ours we may cast all our burthens on him who careth for us and will sustain us Ps. 55.22 And when All other desires fail Let us labour to be in such a preparation for death as that we may say with Old Simeon Lord now letrest thou thy servant depart in peace and with Paul I desire to depart and to be with Christ which is best of all Phil. 1.23 And since the grave is our longest home let our greatest care be to have that a House of Rest and of Hope unto us Christ by his lying in it hath sweetned it unto Believers Lastly let us so live as that we may dye without fear and they who bewail us may not mourn as they who have no Hope 1 Thess. 4.13 V. 6. Or ever the silver Cord be loosed or the golden bowl be broken or the pitcher be broken at the fountain or the wheel broken at the Cistern Some understand this verse literally 1. Of the ornaments 2. Of the more needful instruments of life whether they be more obvious and easie to come by as to draw water out of a Fountain with a pitcher or more remote which are not gotten without labour and cost as the drawing of water out of a deep Well with a wheel and a chain And so the meaning runs thus Remember thy Creator in the daies of thy Youth before God strip thee of thine ornaments wherein thou now rejoycest Thy plate chains rings jewels bracelets which will then be too heavy for thee to wear nec sufferre potes majoris pondera gâ—mmae 2. Before he spoyl thee of the other Helps and Commodities of life and make both thine extraordinary ornaments and thine ordinary utensils all useless unto thee or haply in this sense the former clause may relate unto rich men Let not thy silver and gold bewitch thee the later unto
meaner men Let not thy pitcher and thy wheel take thee off from minding the things of another and a better life Others carry on the Allegory making these things figurative and elegant expressions of death and of those evils which immediately forego it to wit the dissolution of those parts which are most vital for death as in the storming or battering of a Garrison doth first break and weaken the out-works the bodily limbs and outward senses and and after that sets upon the in-works and the Vitals He here compareth Life unto a Fountain or Well out of which men draw water with a Cord a bowl or bucket a pitcher and a wheel And as when these are broken we can draw water no more so when the Vital parts are decayed there is no hope longer to draw life into the body which is the Cistern This Life he compares for the pretiousness of it unto silver and gold for the weakness and fragility of it unto a pitcher and for the inâ—â—ability and unsetledness of it unto a wheel Now besides this general proportion between life and these things as the figures of it Interpreters do make the particulars here mentioned to answer unto some particulars in the vital parts of the body 1. By the silver Cord they understand the marrow or pith of the back continued from the brain as it were in a cord or string unto the bottom of the back-bones and for the white colour of it compared unto silver It may also be applyed unto all the other Sinews and Ligaments of the body which from the head as the Fountain convey sense and motion upon the other parts Hereby also may not unfitly be understood the chain and sweet harmony of the Elements and humors in the body which being preserved in its due proportion the body doth receive life from the Soul which is the Spring thereof but being once dissolved life presently faileth 2. By the Golden bowl they understand the Meninx or skin wherein the brain and vital powers thereof are contained as in a bowl Others understand the blood which is in the heart as in the pretious Fountain of life Schindler rendreth it Scaturigo Auri or aurea would have us thereby to understand the Law of God which is compared unto Gold but the word is elsewhere used to signifie a vessel Zach. 4.2 3. 3. By the fountain we may understand those principal parts from whence vital supplyes are drawn into the body as from the Head Sense and motion from the Heart spirits and heat from the liver blood 4. By the pitchâ—r and the wheel those Instrumental and subservient parts which from these convey those supplyes into the several vessels of the body as into a Cistern as the veins blood from the Liver the arteries spirits from the heart the Sinews motion and sense from the brain By all which we should learn to draw water of life out of the Wells of Salvation that out of our belly may flow rivers of living water through the continual supplyes of the Spirit of grace that all our springs may be in Christ and our life hidden with him in God Isa. 14.3 66.11 12. Zach. 13. 1. John 4.14 7.38 39. In the second Chapter Solomon had shewed us The many choice varieties of pleasure riches and other excellent outward blessings in which he had sought for contentment and in this Chapter he hath in a most elegant Allegory shewed us how quickly old age doth break them all and take away the comfort of them V. 7. Then shall the Dust return to the Earth as it was and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it The Dust that is The body to shew the Original of it Gen. 2.7 The weakness of it dust is the weakest part of earth Ps. 103.14 The baseness and vileness of it Job 4.19 Phil. 3.21 Gen. 18.17 Job 30.19 Our Original from the dust Our Return unto the dust should humble us and make us vile in our own eyes and should warn us to make haste to secure a better life before this be ended and not to put off the endeavours towards it unto old age which haply we may never attain unto and if we do will bring it self work enough for us to do Death is swift and uncertain Sin the longer lived in doth the more harden Repentance is not in our Call or command when we please and it is a work of the whole man and the vvhole life The vvork deferred vvill be greater the time to do it in vvill be shorter the strength to do it by vvill be less bodily infirmities vvill disable spiritual actions God vvill have less honour and service from us and vve shall have more sorrovv and less comfort Therefore remember thy Creator before the Dust return to the Earth vvhence it came And the spirit shall return unto God who gave it The Soul is called a Spirit to note the Immaterial substance of it and its original It came from him who is the Father of Spirits Heb. 12.9 Gen. 2.7 shall return unto God that gave it Ut stet Iudicio ante Deum That it may appear before his Tribunal to be judged as the Chaldee well paraphraseth the place As certainly as the body goes unto the dust so certainly the Soul returneth unto God to be judged The godly are translated into Paradise into Abrahams bosome into the condition of Just men made perfect Luke 16.22 and 23.34 Heb. 12.23 The wicked into the prison of disobedient spirits reserved there in Hell unto the Judgement of the great day Luke 16.23 1 Pet. 3.19 V. 8. Vanity of Vanities saith the Preacher All is Vanity As Mathematicians having made their demonstration do then resume their principal conclusion with a quod erat demonstrandum so here the Wise man having made a large and distinct demonstration That the Happiness of man doth not stand in Any or in All the Contents which the World can afford both in regard of their disproportion unto him and their discontinuance with him He doth hereby conclude his discourse 1. With a confident affirming what he had in the beginning undertaken to prove 2. With a strong and solid vindication thereof from any Cavils which might yet arise in the minds of men against it 3. With a positive Conclusion containing the sum of the whole Book and the right means unto true Happiness indeed V. 9. And moreover because the Preacher was wise he still taught the people knowledge yea he gave good heed and sought out and set in order many Proverbs V. 10. The Preacher sought to find out Acceptable words and that which was written was upright even words of truth Here Solomon commendeth the doctrine taught in this Book 1. Because it was the doctrine of a penitent Convert for Repentance is an excellent means to discern and acknowledge spiritual truth 2 Tim. 2.25 James 1.21 2. Because he was indued with wisdome from God so that they came and sent from remote