Annotations on the book of Ecclesiastes

As far as light excelleth darkness] Wisdom to the mind being as light to the body and therefore the Rabbins called their wise men, the light of the world; as our Saviour his Apostles. Matth. 5.14. Light is many ways comfortable, it shows things in their distinct forms and shows, it discovers any thing hurtful, that it may be avoided; or beneficial, that it may be embraced, whereas darkness confoundeth all things, and exposeth a man to many dangers. Light is pleasant in it self, Eccles. 11.7. and it is metaphorically used to express the most excellent things, as joy, Psal. 97.11. Ester. 8.16. liberties, and deliverance, Isa. 9.1. Glory, 1 Tim 6.16. Prosperity. Mic. 7.9. Life it self. Job 3.16, 20. and usually, wisdom and knowledge, whereunto it is here compared, Dan. 5.14. And it is very useful and necessary for direction in our works and labours, Joh. 11.9, 10. But darkness on the other side is very uncomfortable; it is used to express the most calamitous and disconsolate condition, Job. 30.26. Eccles. 5.17. Isa. 8.22. Amos. 5.18.20. Isa. 50.10. Eccles. 11.8. very unuseful, as putting a stop to all labour, Exod 10.23. Josh. 4.9. very dangerous, as causing a man to stumble at every stone, to fall into every pit, to wander out of his way, &c.

V. 14. The wise mans eyes are in his head] The reason of the former comparison, a wise man is in the light, but a fool in darkness. In his head, as in a watch-tower, from whence he seeth his way before him a far of, taketh notice of things to come, as well as things present, is circumspect, and heedful, judicious, and wary in his undertakings; Therefore they who are called wise men in one place, Deut. 16.19. are called men that have their eyes open, in another place, Exod. 23.8. They do in the beginning of a business look forward to the end of it, they forecast events, foresee consequences; their eyes try their ways, as Psal. 11.4. so looking straight forward, denoteth pondering and weighing a mans actions, Prov. 4.25, 26. here it is that Moses said to his father in law, who was a very wise man, thou shalt be to us instead of eyes, to guide and counsel us, Numb. 10. ⟨p. 69⟩31. where the LXX. render it, [Greek or Hebrew], thou shalt be an elder, a counsellor, a guide amongst us; so Job saith of himself, that he was eyes to the blind, Job. 29.15. A counsellor, and guide unto them. Thus the excellency of wisdom is described by the eye, as being the principal part of the body and most beneficial to the whole, 1 Cor. 12.16, 17, 21. Mat. 9.22. and what the eye is to the body, that is to the mind, Eph. 1.18.

V. 14. The wise mans eyes are in his head] The reason of the former comparison, a wise man is in the light, but a fool in darkness. In his head, as in a watch-tower, from whence he seeth his way before him a far of, taketh notice of things to come, as well as things present, is circumspect, and heedfull, judicious, and wary in his undertakings; Therefore they who are called wise men in one place,

But the fool walketh in darkness] Hereby we understand what is meant by having the eyes in the head, namely, to have them useful for guiding and ordering our ways, so as that we may not err, wander, stumble, fall, mistake, miscarry in our affairs. The Antithesis should have run thus, but the fools eyes are in his heels, or he hath no •yes to see; but the use of Scripture is to put in the place of the antithesis, that which shall in sense amount thereunto, as Prov. 12.27. the one part of the verse is parabolical or proverbial, but the Antithesis is plain and familiar; so Prov. 14.3. & 15.19. The fool is rash, heady, inconsiderate, cannot discern events, nor foresee dangers; knows not which way to choose, or to refuse; his eyes are any where, rather then in his head, Prov. 17.24. is carried headlong in his business, easily snared and taken, Prov. 4.18, 19. 2 Pet. ⟨p. 70⟩1.19. Matth. 13.15, 16. By darkness here, we may understand blindness, Act. 13.11. and then walking in darkness, is a discovery of folly; when a man wants eyes, and yet will be wandering and venturing abroad; when he knows not whither he goes, nor what dangers are in his way.

But the fool walketh in darknesse] Hereby we understand what is meant by having the eyes in the head, namely, to have them useful for guiding and ordering our waies, so as that we may not erre, wander, stumble, fall, mistake, miscarry in our affairs. The Antithesis should have run thus, but the fools eyes are in his heels, or he hath no •yes to see; but the use of Scripture is to put in the place of the antithesis, that which shall in sense amount thereunto, as

And I perceived] The meaning is, notwithstanding this excellency of the one above the other, yet I perceived that one event happeneth to them all] They are equally subject to the same unhappy events; the wisest man that is cann•• by his own counsel exempt himself from the same common calamities which other men fall into: As two ways which seem to part, the one turning to the right hand, and the other to the left, and yet both at last bring to the same Town, Chap. 9.2. & 3.19.

And I perceived] The meaning is, notwithstanding this excellency of the one above the other, yet I perceived that one event hapneth to them all] They are equally subject to the same unhappy events; the wisest man that is cann•• by his own counsel exempt himself from the same common calamities which other men fall into: As two ways which seem to part, the one turning to the right hand, and the other to the left, and yet both at last bring to the same Town, Chap. 9.2. & 3.19.

V. 15. Then said I in mine heart] i.e. Therefore, or hereupon I said in mine heart, if it happen to me, even to me, as to the fool, to what end have I taken so much pains to be more wise and learned then he, being by all my wisdom not a whit protected from ⟨p. 71⟩those evils which he hath by his folly exposed himself unto,

That this also is vanity] Some make this to be a judgment on that hasty and angry inference, why was I then more wise? and so the meaning to be; This was my infirmity and vanity, to undervalue wisdom, and measure it by the casual events which befall it, as Psal. 73.13—15. & 77.10. But the meaning is, that in this respect wisdom is no more able to make a man happy, or to bring perfect tranquility to the Soul, then folly is: albeit in other respects there be a singular excellency in it above the other.

That this also is vanity] Some make this to be a judgment on that hasty and angry inference, why was I then more wise? and so the meaning to be; This was my infirmity and vanity, to undervalue wisdom, and measure it by the casual events which befall it, as Psal. 73.13—15. & 77.10. But the meaning is, that in this respect wisdome is no more able to make a man happy, or to bring perfect tranquility to the Soul, then folly is: albeit in other respects there be a singular excellency in it above the other.

Here then observe, 1. That the most excellent endowments of mind that are, cannot perfectly satisfy the heart of man.

Here then observe, 1. That the most excellent endowments of minde that are, cannot perfectly satisfie the heart of man.

2. That yet there is a special beauty and goodness in such gifts, to draw the light of the heart unto them, as being to the mind, as the eye to the head, the guide and the beauty of it; or as light to the eye, a most congenial and suitable good unto it.

2. That yet there is a special beauty and goodnesse in such gifts, to draw the light of the heart unto them, as being to the minde, as the eye to the head, the guide and the beauty of it; or as light to the eye, a most congenial and suitable good unto it.

3. That events and successes depend not upon the counsels of men, nor upon the gifts of God bestowed on them, but his Providence hath the casting voice, and doth over-rule and order them all as pleaseth him, Eccles. 9.11. Psal. 127.1, 2. many times those who have least wisdom or goodness, ⟨p. 72⟩have greatest success, Job 21.7—13. Psal. 73.3—12. Jer. 12.1, 2. Hab. 1.13. Mal. 3.15. and many times the wisest and most circumspect men, are most frustrated in those courses which were contrived with greatest skill and cunning, 2 Sam. 17.14. Job 5.12, 13, 14. Isa. 19.11—14. 1 Cor. 1.20.

3. That events and successes depend not upon the counsels of men, nor upon the gifts of God bestowed on them, but his Providence hath the casting voice, and doth over-rule and order them all as pleaseth him, Eccles. 9.11. Psal. 127.1, 2. many times those who have least wisdom or goodnesse, ⟨p. 72⟩have greatest successe,

4. That notwithstanding the Providence and Counsel of God hath the pre-eminency in the events of things, yet that hindereth not the excellency of wisdom above folly, neither are we thereby at all encouraged to find fault with our selves for any labour in the use of means, only we must so use them▪ as not to deify them, nor to trust in them, but wholly to depend upon G•d for his blessing on our counsels, to submit to his wise and holy purposes, when they are disappointed; to admire his goodness when at any times he turneth our imprudence or improvidence unto good, and maketh the event not answerable to our follies, but to his love.

4. That notwithstanding the Providence and Counsel of God hath the pre-eminency in the events of things, yet that hindreth not the excellency of wisdom above folly, neither are we thereby at all encouraged to finde fault with our selves for any labour in the use of means, onely we must so use them▪ as not to deifie them, nor to trust in them, but wholly to depend upon G•d for his blessing on our counsels, to submit to his wise and holy purposes, when they are disappointed; to admire his goodness when at any times he turneth our imprudence or improvidence unto good, and maketh the 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, ⟨p. 73⟩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 only 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 ••se all their renown, and shall appear to be vessels of dishonour and shame for evermore, 1 Cor. 4.5. 2 Tim. 2.20.

V. 16. There is no remembrance, &c.] What he observed in the general before, he now maketh good in two particulars, viz, oblivion, ⟨p. 73⟩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,

And how dieth the wise man? as the fo•l] The second fate, common to both. Th•s how, is a passionate interrogation, noting ⟨p. 74⟩grief that it is so; wonder that it is no otherwise; and indignation or disdain that thing• 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 wondering, 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 follows a man• 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 live 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 Honour but in the fear of the Lord.

V. 17. Therefore I hated life, &c.] Thi• is the effect which this great vanity of th• most excellent humane endowment wrought ⟨p. 75⟩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 desirableness in life it self, (though •he chiefest outward blessing) all the course •hereof being full of evil, grievous, crucia•ing, disquieting labour, all which at last •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 greatness of his wisdom being such, as that all the comforts of life were too narrow to satisfy the inquiries of it, he saw little valuable or desirable in it.

V. 17. Therefore I hated life, &c.] Thi• is the effect which this great vanity of th• most excellent humane endowment wrougth ⟨p. 75⟩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 •he chiefest outward blessing) all the course •hereof being full of evil, grievous, crucia•ing, disquieting labour, all which at last •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.