Annotations on the book of Ecclesiastes

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.

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.

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 only out of anguish of spirit, but of natural wisdom observing the vanity thereof.

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 naturally 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 choicest 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.

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 •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 undesirable thing, we may note, 1. That Life is the choicest and principal outward blessing which God here affords us, and that unto the comfort and preservation thereof all other outward blessings are directed, M•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 ⟨p. 77⟩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.

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, M•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.

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 ministering 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 ⟨p. 78⟩of them, so as to leave off all care of duty to be exercised in worldly things, according to the travel which God hath appointed for the sons of men, Chap. 1.13. Ephes. 5.28. 2 Thess. 3.10—13. and this to do, because we find not that plenary satisfaction from them, which they were never ordained to administer, then this was an inordinate hatred, which did not belong unto the works themselves, (being in themselves good) but unto the sinful distemper of the heart from whence it proceeded. Such was the sullen distemper of Israel in the Wilderness, Numb. 11.6