while it is day while we have life and opportunity we must ply our duties Eccles. 9.10 Joh. 9.4 for thou knowest not whether shall prosper or whether will be most right or congruous the one or the other c. Thou maiest justly expect a blessing upon all however though the success as to men be not alwaâ—es prosperous sometimes thy bounty is misplaced upon those that abuse it or return evil for good yet with God constancy in well-doing will not miss of its reward and by this largeness heart thou maist unawares entertain Angels and bring extraordinary blessings upon thy family Matth. 10.14 42. Heb. 13.2 1 Reg. 17.13 16. V. 7. Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun By light and beholding the Sun we are to understand the time of this present life as is evident by what follows in the next verse so Job 3.20 33.30 and withall we may take in those pleasures and comforts thereof which serve to render it more sweet and contentfull Some make it to be a tacit objection against that continual labour which he before prescribed Since life is short we ought to use all the wayes we can to render it pleasant and not weary out our time and strength in continual toyl and labour it is much more sweet to enjoy the light and pleasures of life while we may 1 Cor. 15.32 whereunto they make the words of the next verse to be an answer That when death comes the good we have done will remain with us but all our pleasures and delights will vanish into nothing It may seem to relate unto the former verse as well as to that which follows sow your seed in the morning and in the evening so long as you have the light of the Sun to guide you for this is the chief comfort and sweetness of life to be doing good while we have time opportunity because the dayes of death and darkness are coming wherein we cannot work But it seemeth rather to be a Transition unto a new matter In the former parts of this book the Wise man had set forth the vanity of all outward things and had prescribed many gracious and excellent means to remedy the same and to frame the heart of man unto Tranquillity and peace But now when by these precepts the life of man here is rendred as full of comfort and quietness as an earthly condition is capable of yet though his life be never so sweet there are great evils coming which will require much meditation and preparation of hearâ— to fit a man for them and there is a far longer condition for the future which will abide us after this life is gone necessary therefore it is unto the compleating of that happiness whereinto he had all this while inquired to secure not only the comforts of this life but the assurance of a better which is the business of Solomon in the remaining part of this Book by a timely meditation of death and judgement and by the fear of God and keeping his commandments in our youth to arm us against the terror of future evils and to fit us for that happiness which is the whole of man and which will be throughly proportionable to his largest desires And so the meaning is this It is true indeed to enjoy the light of the Sun and the comforts of this present life is a very sweet thing Sensually sweet unto those who are voluptuous Solidly and substantially sweet unto those who by all the foregoing precepts have gotten wisdome to cure the vanity and vexation of spirit which otherwise outward things are apt to produce yet both the one and the other must remember that though life be sweet under the Sun yet it is not long much less perpetual dayes of darkness are to come therefore unto compleat happiness there is yet more to be done and such an estate to be secured as may bear full proportion to the capacities of an immortal soul and may make up the Whole of man Light is Sweet Sweetness here is that properly which is the object of our Taste Jâ—dg 14.18 Prov. 24.13 but it is usual in the Scripture to attribute that which is proper unto one sense to another as to see thunder Exod. 20.18 to see the smell â—f a field Gen. 27.27 It is a broken and concise sentence unto which something is to be added or understood it is indeed sweet to see the Sun life is pleasant but yet it is vanity and will end in death by the meditation whereof we are to abate our inordinate love of the profits and pleasures of so vanishing a condition V. 8. But if a man live many years and rejoyce in them all yet let him remember the dayes of darkness for they shall be many All that cometh is Vanity Though it be a sweet thing to enjoy life and the comforts thereof and though a man should live long and all that long life should have his full of worldly delights yet the serious meditation of death and the long abode we shall after all those pleasures have in the house of darkness will sufficiently demonstrate the vanity of Temporal life how long or how prosperous soever it have been such a life we find described Job 21.7 13. By dayes of darkness are understood in opposition to light and the seeing of the Sun in the former verse that space of time wherein men shall lie in the dust Psal. 88.12 13. Psal. 143.3 Eccles. 6.4 Job 10.21 for they shall be many This some apply to the first words of the verse though the dayes of life be mâ—ny yet let a man remember the dayes of darkness and that will make him judge all things which happen in this world to be but vanity we may likewise read the words thus If a man live many years let him rejoyce in them all he is not debarred the comforts and contents of them but let him withall temper and moderate the joyes of life with the meditation of death and know that every thing which hapneth that every man which cometh into the world is vanity V. 9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thine heart cheer thee in the dayes of thy youth and walk in the wayes of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement Since all that cometh is vanity as well youth as age both which he sheweth here and in the next Chapter And since the dayes of life and jollity here how long soever are very short and inconsiderable in comparison of the dayes of darkness which follow after them he therefore perswadeth those who are most subject to be transported with the pleasures of life to remember death and judgement and thereby to restrain their inordinate desires A young Epicure who is scornfull and impatient of such cooling and chill doctrines as those of death and judgement might be
ANNOTATIONS ON THE BOOK OF Ecclesiastes LONDON Printed by I. Streater 1669. ECCLESIASTES OR The Preacher The Argument THe Author of this Book both by the Style and by the Title of it appeareth to have been Solomon since no other Son of David was King in Jerusalem but he He seemeth to have written it in his old Age when he took a more serious view of his past Life The Honours pleasures wealth wisdome he had so abundantly enjoyed The Errors and miscarriages which he had fallen into the large experience and many observations he had made of things Natural Moral Domestical Civil Sensual Divine the Curious and Critical inquiry he had made after true happinesse and what Contribution all things under the Sun could afford thereunto Concerning which He doth 1. In the general discover the utter vanity and insufficiency of all things here below to make a man Blessed in regard of their mutable nature of their weaknesse and disproportion to the Soul of Man of the weariness which is contracted by the studying of them and the impossibility of ever drawing from them more then haâ—â— been formerly extracted and consequently the fruitlesse attempt of any that should ever after go about to receive satisfaction from them 2. He demonstrateth this General Proposition touching the most Vain Vanity of all things under the Sun by an Induction of those particulars from which above all others men usually expect the greatest Contentment Those are 1. Wisdom and Knowledg both natural and moral for inquiry whereinto no man was ever furnished with greater abilities and stronger inclinations in himself or with more fitting provisions and assistants from without then Solomon was in regard of the greatnesse of his dignity and estate and yet after all he concludeth That Wisdome and Knowâ—edge do but encrease Grief and Sorrow so far are they from bringing such blessedness to the Soul as may fully satisfie the desires thereof 2. Pleasures and Delights which he had as much advantage by his greatnesse to Enjoy and by his wisdome to Examine as ever any other man should have and yet all the content he expected from them did end in hatred of them and despair of ever mending his condition by them 3. Honour greatnesse and power in the World concerning which he sheweth that it is so far from making men happy as that without the fear of God to correct and â—emper it it is the occasion of much wickednesse to those that have it and of much misery to thâ—se that suffer under it It usually breaking forth into oppression and violence whereby men in power carry themselves like beasts towards their brethren and shall themselves dye like beasts undesired and unlamented It being likewise matter of much discouragement to men that are oppressed by it making them weary of their lives careless of their labours resolved rather upon quiet idlenesse then upon envied imployments and to get what they can privately to themselves then having been publickly useful to â—e repayed with no other Rewards then wrong and danger by which means Society and Community of services amongst men so greatly beneficial to publick interest are obstructed and dissolved 4. An outward form of Religion and of Divine Worship into which foolish men by carnal confidence and superficial performances do also put diverse vanities and make even Gods service unuseful to their Happinesse 5. Riches and great Possessions which are so far from satisfying the heart of man as that they occasion more cares lesse sleep lesse quiet are snares and occasions of much Hurt to the owners of them who living possess them with sorrow and dying part with them with wrath and indignation Having little benefit by them in their life as having not power no enjoy them nor in their death any comfort from them as leaving them to they know not whom being not at all exempted by them either from misery or mortality And having thus discovered the vanity of the principal things from whence the Heart of man might have expected satisfaction He doth thereupon prescribe many excellent means for healing and abating of that Vanity and for procuring tranquility unto the Mind and peace and comfort to the life of a man Such are Contentation of heart in the sweet and frâ—e Enjoyment of all outward Blessings with thanksgiving and in the fear of God Quiet and Humble Acquiescency under the holy and powerful providence of God in all the Events which befall us in the World Sincerity of heart in his worship and prudent Piety in our vowes prayers and addresses unto him Patience of spirit under all the oppressions we meet with in the world A composed preparedness of mind to undergo sorrows and afflictions Prudent and pious moderation of spirit in our behaviour towards all men that so we may preserve our names from Calâ—mnie and our persons from danger Meekness Charity Patience towards such as offend considering Common frailty and our own weaknesse Sobriety of mind contenting our selves with a measure of wisdome and knowledge and not busying our selves with things too high for us Practical Prudence which may render us beautiful in the eyes of others Loyalty aâ—d obedience towards Magistrates that our lives may not be made uncomfortable by their displeasure Wisdome to discern of time and judgment Preparedness of heart against inevitable evils Submission to the Holy and invincible Providence of God admiring his Works adoring his Iudgments Ioyful fruition of Comforts Conscionable and industrious walking in our particular Callings Wisdome how to carry our selves amidst the many Casualties which meet us in the World so as that we may by our loyalty towards our Superiours decline the danger of displeasure from them and by our Charity to Inferiours lay up a good foundation for our selves against the time to come Lastly Moderation in the use of Comfâ—rts here And preparation by the fear of God and keeping of his Commandements for death and Iudgment hereafter That by these means as our Life is sweet so our Death may be welcome That the Piety of our Youth may help us to bear the Infirmities of our Age and to lift up our Heads in the day of Redemption CHAP. I. IN this Chapter we have 1. The Inscription of the whole Book ver 1. wherein the Author thereof is described by his Natural Relation the son of David His Civil Relation King in Ierusalem and his Church-Relation a Preacher or a Penitent Soul returning into the bosome of the Church from whence by many gross miscarriages he had secluded himself 2. A general Proposition setting forth the utter insufficiency of all things under the Sun to make a man Blessed and the extream vanity which is in them in relation unto such an End however otherwise useful and benefâ—cial they may be within their own sphere when sanctified to sweeten and comfort the life of a man who hath placed his Happiness in God insomuch that all the labour which is taken to extract happiness from the Creature will be
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
to leave unto the son or the sons to inherit it after his father V. 15. As he came forth of his mothers womb naked shall he return to go as he came Though he could secure all his wealth from perishing yet he himself must leave them and go out of the World as naked as he came into it And that which hath no power to free us from death to comfort us in death to go with us into another World after death is no foundation of happiness or solid tranquillity Job 1.21 Psal. 49.17 1 Tim. 6.7 Luke 12.20 21. to go i. To dye Chap. 6.4 Job 16.22 Psal. 39.13 Phil. 1.23 Return viz. to the Womb of the common mother the earth Job 1.21 Eccles. 12.7 and shall take nothing of his labour That is of his estate gotten by hard labour Chap. 2.19 Prov. 5.10 Deut. 28.33 which he may carry away or cause to go along with him in his hand He cannot carry so much as one handful of all that he hath with him V. 16. And this also is a sore evil As before vers 13. That though his Riches haply are not kept for his hurt nor do not perish in his time yet they will not at all keep him from death nor profit him in it Riches will not profit in the day of wrath that in all points as he came so shall he go His death and his birth are over against one another in an exact proportion and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind For that which will not stay which cannot be held fast which is emptiness and very vanity So words of wind are empty and vain words Job 16.3 A man walking in wind that is a lying Prophet Mic. 2.11 so to reap a whirlwind Hos. 8.7 to fill the belly with the east wind Job 15.2 to inherit wind Prov. 11.29 to bring forth wind Isa. 26.18 To feed upon wind Hos. 12.1 To speak into the ayr 1 Cor. 14.9 To beat the ayr 1 Cor. 9.16 Are expressions of very vain and fruitless enterprizes Here money is compared to wind The one hath wings to fly away with Prov. 23.5 so hath the other Psal. 104.3 The one cannot be held Prov. 30.4 neither can the other 1 Cor. 7.31 V. 17. All his dayes also he eateth in darknesse and hath much sorrow and wrath with his sicknesse Or according to the words in their order thus Also all his dayes he eateth in darknesse and much sorrow and his sicknesse and wrath A further vanity of Riches in the hands of a covetous worldling he denies himself a full free and comfortable enjoyment of outward things he cannot unbend himself from his â—arking cares even when he goes to eat but as he gets so he useth and enjoyeth his wealth in darkness i. e. for the words following are Exegetical in sorrow and wrath even unto very sickness All his dayes he eateth in darkness It may be understood either literally that he doth so lengthen out his labour and grudge to spare himself any times even of necessary refreshment as that he deferreth eating till it be dark and till he can work no longer Or rather Metaphorically he eateth without any pleasure and with much trouble and anxiety of minde so much darkness commonly importeth Isa. 49.9 10. 50.10 Mic. 7.8 and hath much sorrow Or indignation The word in some Copies as the Learned observe is read with the points of a noun in others of a verb and so they render it multum irascitur or indignatur he is very angry or he sorroweth much and hath sickness and wrath The meaning as I conceive is he eateth in darkness basely and wretchedly as a slave to his riches he storms grieves frets is even sick with anger and vexation at the expences he is put unto in keeping but a mean and a sordid Table The Greek by a very easie mistake in the letters which are much alike read it thus All his dayes he is in darknesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in mourning and in sorrow and in sicknesse and in wrath His sickness for he hath sickness The Affix is used for the separate and absolute pronoun as Psal. 115.7 Ezek. 29.3 Our reading He hath sorrow and wrath with his sicknesse where the conjunction copulative is rendred by the preposition with as sometimes elsewhere 1 Sam. 14.18 seemeth to intimate such a sense as this All his dayes or while he lives he eats in sorrow and when he falls sick and is in danger of death he hath much wrath and indignation in his sickness for fear of parting from his wealth which he so dearly loveth and hath so hardly laboured for V. 18. Behold that which I have seen It is good and comely c. Here is subjoyned a remedy of this Vanity setting forth the right use of riches to take away all this sinful anxiety which is conversant about them which is in the fear of God comfortably to enjoy his good blessings without afflicting our selves for the future but casting ouâ— cares upon him who careth for us that which I have seen is this He speaketh out of experience and upon exact study and inquiry after the truth as 1 Joh. 1.1 3. Joh. 1.14 Chap 1.13 2.24 3.22 It is good and comely Good and comfortable to a man himself Comely decent honourable and of good report toward others Or there is a good which is also comely Or it is good yea it is comely Or Behold I have seen that which is good that which is comely The like manner of expression 1 Sam. 15.20 Psal. 10.6 Teaching us in our conversation 1. To look unto that which is good in it self and then to that which is decent towards the world Phil. 4.8 that a man eat and drink and enjoy good of all his labour Or In all his labours to sweeten his labours with a comfortable fruition of the fruit of them Of all his labours so the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used to signifie as much as Ex or De Exod. 12.43 all the dayes of his life which God giveth him When God gives life we should not deny the comforts of it to ourselves for it is his portion All the good he can ever have from them A metaphor from division of heritances or from distribution of meat at a feast It is that which God hath allotted him of all his labour But withal he must remember that God allowes him but a part God himself and the poor and his family country friends challenge part likewise in those goods wherewith God hath blessed him Prov. 3.8 1 Cor. 9.13 14. 1 Cor. 16.2 Gal. 6.6 10. 2 Cor. 12.14 1 Tim. 5.8 Isai. 23.18 V. 19. Every man also to whom God hath given c. Here is onely a further insisting on the same argument as Chap. 2.24 3.13 6.2 He shews 1. That God gives us our wealth Deut. 8.18 2. That he gives us dominion over our wealth that we may not be captivated unto
to execute commands or he knowes to find out a proper season and right way to apply himself unto the Prince to prevent his displeasure to gain his favour to qualifie or alter his Commands if they be any way grievous 1 Chron. 21.3 Judg. 6.27 Gen. 32.7 8 13 16 17. 33.12 14. 1 Sam. 25.18 1 Chron. 12.32 Neh. 2.4 5 12 16. Esth. 4.5 7.2 8.5 6. V. 6 7. Because to every purpose there is time and judgment therefore the misery of man is greater upon him For he knoweth not that which shall be for who can tell him when it shall be Because to every purpose or enterprize there is a proper season and peculiar manner of acting upon which narrow points the happy success of such undertakings do depend and this cannot without much wisdome be duly observed hence it cometh to passe that the misery of man is great upon him This general is to be applyed to the particular case a man by incurring the displeasure of his Prince bringeth much misery upon himself because he wanteth that wisdom which should suggest a proper opportunity and right way of regaining his favour again When there is ignorance and folly within dangers and snares without it is hard for a man to walk safely There is no greater part of wisdome then the prudent observing of times circumstances and the right manner of transacting businesses that are of weight and consequence unto us Jer. 8.7 8. Amos 5.13 Luke 19.44 Prov. 15.23 Act. 22.25 29. Act. 23.6 7. for he knoweth not that which shall be Because a man cannot foresee future events nor exactly judge of the consequences of actions therefore it is very difficult to avoid many of those miseries which by reason of this ignorance do attend him There is one season and one manner of acting which would have been seconded with success if a man could have foreseen it but any other time any other way of proceeding would miscarry great therefore must needs be the misery of man by reason of this ignorance who hath â— thousand waies to misse the mark and but one to hit it A man cannot so much as fore-appoint his own actions for the future much lesse foresee the consequences and issues which vvould follow thereupon Prov. 27.1 Jam. 4.14 None can foretell a man what shall be but God alone Isa. 41. â—3 44.7 46.10 Onely this a wise and holy man may be sure of that whatever falls out shall be for his good though it may be contrary to his desire and expectation 1 Cor. 3.22 V. 8. There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit neither hath he power in the day of death By spirit he meaneth the breath of life or the soul. So it is often understood Gen. 6.19 Job 7.7 Isa. 42.5 Psal. 104.29 Luke 8.55 Jam. 2.26 This may be understood 1. Generally to signifie the weakness which is in man to help himself against the greatest future evil namely death no power industry wisedome can keep the Soul when God by death requires it no man hath the dominion over his own life to live as long as it pleaseth himself nor over death to repell and resist Heb. 9. it when it comes Psal. 49.7 10.27 2. Particularly to the present argument of obedience to Princes whose wrath is as the roaring of a Lyon whose displeasure cannot be avoided An offender hath no power to retain his life when supream authority passeth judgment against it and therefore we ought wisely to take heed of those provocations which are likely to cast us under so great danger for the punishment of rebellion can no more be avoided then the Wind can be held fast Therefore we ought to keep our selves still within the bounds of duty and that will preserve us from evil as vers 5. to retain the spirit To shut it in to keep it from going away Neither hath he or any man power in the day or over and against the day of death to adjourn and prorogue it aequo pede pulsat pauperum tabernas regumque turres The power of a King is as little against death as the power of the meanest beggar And therefore some have observed That whereas when David is mentioned upon other occasions he is usually spoken of by the name of King David when his death is spoken of there is no mention of his Dignity and Office but onely of his name 1 Reg. 2.1 and there is no discharge in that warr Or no weapon wherewith we can prevail in our war with death There is no apparatus bellicus against such an Adversary no arrow or javelin that a man can let flye in this combate Or there is no mission into this battel in vain doth any man go forth to make War against death So the word seemeth to be understood Psal. 78.49 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Symmachus rendreth it It is not possible to stand in battel array against such an adversary the Septuagint render it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no mission or dimission in that war which sense our Interpreters seem to follow in their Version There is no discharge in that war no man can have a Vacation or an Exaâ—ctoration from that warfare There is no protection or deliverance from the hand of death neither shall wickednesse deliver those that are given to it Unquiet wickedness sinful shifts which men in danger are apt to betake themselves unto though a man turn himself every way and move every stone yet he shall not be able to deliver himself Saul and Pilate would fain shift off the guilt of their sins upon the people 1 Sam. 15.21 Matth. 27.24 and Caiaphas pretended necessity for his persecuting of Christ Joh. 11.50 but this did not deliver their souls By wickednesse here may be understood in relation to the argument of the text Rebellion Sedition disobedience against Magistrates as 1 Sam. 24.13 The words are a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wickednesse shall not deliver that is It shall destroy those that use it as Rom. 1.16 Psal. 51.17 Prov. 17.21 Prov. 11.4 V. 9. All this have I seen and applyed mine heart unto every work that is done under the Sun There is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt With his wonted transition he passeth on to the observing of another Vanity which was to be found amongst men I applyed or gave mine heart unto every work as Chap. 7.25 teaching us with special attention to observe the wayes of Gods providence in the world Psal. 111.2 1 Pet. 1.10 11. When he was thus considering of the right means of living comfortably by yielding due obedience unto Government He found that some Princes were so tyrannical and intolerable that it was very hard for men to live quietly under them they go on without controle and miserably afflict the poor people Prov. 28.15 16. for whose good and comfort they were appointed Rom. 13.4 God thus pleasing in his Justice
a good man they fear God sincerely they tremble at his presence they labour to commend their hearts and consciences to him in well doing Isa. 8.13 When wicked men prosper and rage they fret not they fear not their cruelty but still they hold fast their integrity and go on steadily in obedience and patient waiting on God But it shall not be well with the wicked neither shall he prolong his dayes which are as a shadow It shall not well This is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 less being said then is intended for the meaning is It shall be very ill with him as Exod. 20.7 Psal. 34.5 Rom. 1.16 Psal. 84.12 Isa. 42.3 Rom. 4.19 Revel 12 11. neither shall he prolong his dayes Long life is oftentimes promised as a blessing Prov. 28.16 Exod. 20 1◠Psal. 91.16 Prov. 3.2 and the contrary threatned as a curse Psal. 55.23 and though they seem to live long their longest life is but as a shadow which suddenly is gone Psal. 144.4 wrath doth at last certainly overtake them Whereas in Scripture sometimes prolonging of ones dayes relates to a life after death and a victory over it Isa. 53.10 V. 14. There is a vanity which is done upon the earth He doth not pass this Censure upon the wise and righteous providence of God who ordereth all the seeming confusions and disorders which are in the world and who is pleased after a seeming inequality to dispence good or evil unto men contrary to what our reason doth judge most equal and righteous Job 9.22 21.7 8. But first he speaketh according to the judgment of flesh and blood which is apt to judge hardly of so strange a distribution Psal. 73.13 14.2 He doth it to shew the vanity of all outward things which do variously happen unto men under the Sun which being distributed without any great difference sometimes evil things to good men and good things to evil men do lead us necessarily to think but meanly of them and to look after a further Judgment wherein rewards and punishments shall be in a more notable manner dispenced Chap. 7.15 1 Cor. 15.19 And even in this distribution there is much goodness shewed to one man in his sufferings whereby his graces are exercised and much wrath and justice to others in their prosperity whereby they are many times hardened and ensnared Psal. 69.22 Hos. 13.6 V. 15. Then I commended mirth because a man hath no better thing under the Sun then to eat and to drink and to be merry c. Some make this to be a sensual and carnal deduction drawn from the former observation that since by a mans most circumspect walking he can no more free himself from evils then if he lived more loosely and since evil men do many times go away with the rewards of good men and good men suffer such things as they had not deserved since a man gets nothing by his holiness nor loseth any thing by his wickedness It is therefore the best way to take our pleasures to eat and to drink and be merry and to take no further care then how we may for the present gratifie our licentious desires 1 Cor. 15.32 Isa. 22.12 13. Amos 6.3 6. Psal. 73.11 12. But I rather understand the words in the sense formerly expressed Chap. 2.24 3.12 13 22. 5.18 Since it is impossible for a man to free himself from those common vanities and temptations which are under the Sun Therefore there is no greater wisdom no better remedy of our present vexations then to compose our hearts in an holy calmness and security not over-curiously or querulously to inquire into the dark providences of God in the World but with an holy submission to commit our selves to the Lord and in his fear and with cheerfulness and thanksgiving to enjoy the present blessings which his bounty hath bestowed upon us without any unquietnesse of spirit at the disorders we see or any anxious and sollicitous thoughts touching any thing which for the future we may fear Phil. 4.11 12 13. 2 Thess. 3.12 for that shall abide with him of his labour the dayes of his life which God giveth him under the Sun This is the onely fruit which a man can reap in this life from all his labour greater benefit he can never expect from any thing under the Sun then to have food and rayment with cheerfulness of heart in the use of them V. 16 17. When I applyed mine heart to know wisdome and to see the businesse that is done upon the earth He here concludeth with a reason why a man ought not anxiously to perplex or disquiet his thoughts about the Works of Gods Providence in the Government of the World why good men are afflicted and ill men advanced because when a wise man hath applyed his mind made it his business broken his sleep in this inquiry yet he shall come short of what he promised himself and must at last acquiesce in the Soveraignty and Dominion of God whose Works are unsearchable and whose Judgements past finding out therefore we must suppresse all rash censures of those things the reasons whereof we are not able to attain unto and with calmnesse and tranquility of spirit labour to enjoy present comforts rather then to busie our selves with curious and fruitlesse inquiries to see the businesse that is done on the earth That is to discover and get a clear distinct and satisfying accompt of all the works of Gods providence in the world to comprehend the reasons of the administration and Government thereof to have a rational view of the compages and whole frame of humane affairs to reconcile all the seeming absurdities and incongruities which appear in them to look exactly into the Temperament and Composition of so many infinite and contrary events unto the making up of one most exquisite and beautiful work for there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes As Chap. 2.23 This he speaketh of his incessant study in denying himself necessary refreshments out of the intentnesse of his minde in this inquiry as strong and fixed thoughts will keep away sleep from our eyes Psal. 127.2 Ecles 5.12 a man cannot find out the work that is done under the Sun Cannot perfectly understand or search into the counsel of God in the government of humane affaires his secret Judgements his admirable contrivances his various wisdome Job 11.7 8 9. Psal. 36.6 92.5 a man can neither by labour nor by wisdome the two great Engines and Instruments of discovery attain unto it He doth not hereby discourage us from searching into the works of God which elsewhere we are directed to observe Psal. 111.2 104.24 105.5 106.13 Isa. 5.12 But only teacheth us after all to adore the depths of his wisdome to rest satisfied that whatever he doth how contrary so ever it appear unto humane reason is righteously holily and wisely done Secret and wonderful his works may be but they are never unjust and
3.12 And also that our delights must be proportioned to the decency of our condition we must eat panem statuti our proper portion and dimensum and not either luxuriously exceed or sordidly live beneath our own estate and condition Prov. 30.8 for God now accepteth thy works It is pleasing unto God that when thou hast in the fear of his Name and in obedience to his Ordinance laboured and by his blessing gotten thee thine appointed portion then thou shouldest after an honest cheerful decent and liberal manner without further anxiety or sollicitousness enjoy the same This is the principal boundary of our outward pleasures and delights still to keep our selves within such rules of piety and moderation as that our waies may be pleasing unto God And this shews us the true way to find sweetness in the creature and to feel joy in the fruition thereof namely when our persons and our waies are pleasing unto God for piety doth not exclude but only moderate earthly delights and so moderate them that though they be not so excessive as the luxurious and sensual pleasures of foolish Epicures yet they are far more pure sweet and satisfactory as having no guilt no gall no curse nor inward sorrow and terrors attending on them Nehem. 8.10 V. 8. Let thy garments be alwaies white Food and rayment are the substantials of outward blessings 1 Tim. 6.8 Having directed unto cheerfulness in the one he here directs unto decency and comeliness in the other Whiteness was antiently an expression of things pleasing and delightful Albosque dies hâ—rasque Serenas in Silius Italiens Candidus felix proximus 〈◊〉 eriâ— in Ovid. So the white stone of absolution is called a white stone Rev. 2.17 the Asses on which persons of Honour did ride were white Asses Judg. 5.10 In like manner they did use in the Eastern Countreys to use white garments as expressions of dignity and honour Esth. 8.15 Therefore our Saviour shewing his glory to Peter and James and John in the Mount had his garments white as light Matth. 12.2 And the glory of the Saints in Heaven is expressed by white Robes Rev. 3.4 5 18. 6.11 19.8 Here it is used as a Symbole of joy and cheerfulness as on the other side Blackness is the colour of grief and sorrow Jer. 14.2 They were wont to use white garments at feasts and joyful solemnities when he saith let them be alwaies white as it is to be understood not absolutely as if they were never to mourn Chap. 7.2 this was the sin of the rich Glutton Luke 16.19 but with restriction to the rules of seasonableness and decency Prov. 5.19 And let thine head lack no oyntment This likewise was an expression of joy used in feasts Luke 7.46 Joh. 12.3 and in triumphal solemnities whereunto the Apostle seemeth to allude 2 Cor. 2.14 15 16. And in the like occasions of rejoycing Amos 6.6 Prov. 27.9 As in times of humiliation and sorrow they were wont not to anoint themselves Dan. 10.3 The meaning is that we should lead our lives with as much freeness cheerfulness and sweet delight in the liberal use of the good blessings of God as the quality of our degree the decency of our condition and the Rules of Religious wisdome and the fear of God do allow us not sordidly or frowardly denying our selves the benefit of those good things which the bounty of God hath bestowed upon us V. 9. Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest See Life or enjoy life So Symmachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 1 Pet. 3.10 Eccl. 2.1 24. with the wife whom thou lovest Therefore he speaketh not in the person of an Epicure to whom stollen waters are sweet Prov. 9.17 but of a lawful and chast love as Prov. 5.15 19. whom thou lovest This is the character of a wife and the duty of the husband that which makes their communion comfortable Ezek. 24.16 18. Eph. 5.25 28 29. therefore the husband is called the friend of his wife Jer. 3.20 There is a special freeness of delight and liberty of love which is allowed in this relation though still within the bounds of honour and sobriety Prov. 5.19 Gen. 26.8 It noteth also the difference between conjugal and adulterous love that is a love wherein a man may live joyfully or may sweetly enjoy his life with comfort whereas the pleasures of the other lead unto death Prov. 2.18 5.3 11. 6.26 32 33. 7.23 all the daies of the life of thy vanity As Chap. 6.12 This is repeated again to mind us in the midst of all our earthly contentments that they are perishing and Temporary things This living joyfully All our daies is to be understood as the Alwaies in the former verse with restriction to the duties of piety and humiliation 1 Cor. 7.5 and also it intimateth the duty of cohabitation that they should not depart one from the other 1 Cor. 7.10 which â—e hath given thee That may refer either to the wife which Solomon elsewhere tells us is the gift of God Prov. 19.14 or to the daies of the life of our vanity which also are the gift of God Job 10.12 Act. 17.25 Ps. 31.15 this is thy portion in this life As Chap. 2.24 3.13 5.18 19 8.15 when thou dyest thou shalt carry none of these comforts away with thee in the next world there is no enjoyment of these kind of blessings Ps. 49.17 Matth. 22.30 V. 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might Having instanced in the principal outward comforts of life food rayment marriage he concludeth with a general precept that in all things else wherein the Tranquillity and comfort of life did consist they should freely and cheerfully make use of them before they go into their graves where as they shall have none of these outward materials to work upon so neither if they had them should they have any wisdome or skill to make use of them or to reap delight from them Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do Whatsoever is within thy power and thy abilities can reach unto whatever works in thy Calling do belong unto thee or whatsoever state and condition the providence of God shall put thee in Gen. 32.13 Lev. 5.7 12.8 Num. 6.21 Judg. 9.33 whatsoever just occasion of honest cheerfulness doth offer it self unto thee embrace it do it with thy might Vigorously industriously instantly do not slack time nor defer it till it be too late Rom. 12.11 2 Thess. 3.8 Tit. 3.8 14. for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdome in the grave whither thou goest In this life thou hast opportunities of doing good of delighting thy self in the studies of knowledge and wisdome of improving thy strength and invention to pleasure thy self and others Therefore work while it is day and while thou hast yet an opportunity Joh. 9.4 12.35 Gal. 6.10 while there is strength in your hand while there is wisdome in your head while the