A34666:927
A brief exposition with practical observations upon the whole book of Ecclesiastes by that…A briefe exposition with practicall observations upon the whole book of Ecclesiastes by that…
A brief exposition with practical observations upon the whole book of Ecclesiastes by that late pious and worthy divine, Mr. John Cotton ... ; published by Anthony Tuckney ...A briefe exposition with practicall observations upon the whole book of Ecclesiastes by that late pious and worthy divine, Mr. John Cotton ... ; published by Anthony Tuckney ...
London: printed by T.C. for Ralph Smith, 1654
A BRIEF EXPOSITION UPON ECCLESIASTES. › VersesA BRIEFE EXPOSITION UPON ECCLESIASTES. › Verses
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Eccles. 7.3, 4, 5, 6. 3. Sorrow is better then laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. 4. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning: but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 5. It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, then for a man to hear the song of fools. 6. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
Eccles. 7.3, 4, 5, 6. 3. Sorrow is better then laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. 4. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning: but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 5. It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, then for a man to heare the song of fools. 6. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
IN Verse 2. Solomon had preferred going to the house of mourning above going to the house of mirth, whereof he gave two Reasons before. The first, taken from the condition of the house of mourning it is the end of all men. The second, from the spiritual improvement which living men will make of it. The living will lay it to heart, v. 2. Now in this verse he giveth another reason of it. 3. From the preeminence of sorrow above laughter, Sorrow is better then laughter. And this he proveth, first, from the benefit of a sad countenance, by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better, v. 3. Secondly, from the preeminence of such men, whose hearts are in the house of mourning above those whose hearts are in the house of mirth. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, the heart of fools in the house of mirth, v. 4. Thirdly, from the preeminence of hearing the rebuke of the wise (which causeth sorrow) above hearing the song of fools, v. 5. the vanity whereof is amplified by a comparison, v. 6. [Greek or Hebrew] here translated sorrow, cometh of a root which signifieth properly to provoke, as Deut. 32, 19