Annotations on the book of Ecclesiastes

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

V. 19. And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool?] 2. And the reason of his fore-mentioned dislike of all his labour, because he must leave them to the man that comes next after him, who haply may be very unfit to succeed him in so wise and great works. It is not in mans power to leave the works of his hands, when he must himself no longer enjoy them, unto such as are most likely to improve or preserve them: but be he what he will, wise or foolish, he must have not only the fruition of my labours, but the dominion over them, Psal. 39.6. And this is a great vanity, to know a mans self how to get great things, and to know how to preserve, and to enjoy them; but not to know what will become of them at the last: A wise man it may be will alter all; a fool will scatter and dissipate all, and so all the fathers wisdom may quickly come to nought by the sons folly, Psal. 39.7.

V. 19. And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool?] 2. And the reason of his fore-mentioned dislike of all his labour, because he must leave them to the man that comes next after him, who haply may be very unfit to succeed him in so wise and great works. It is not in mans power to leave the works of his hands, when he must himself no longer enjoy them, unto such as are most likely to improve or preserve them: but be he what he will, wise or foolish, he must have not only the fruition of my labours, but the dominion over them, Psal. 39.6. And this is a great vanity, to know a mans self how to get great things, and to know how to preserve, and to enjoy them; but not to know what will become of them at the last: A wise man it may be will alter all; a fool will scatter and dissipate all, and so all the fathers wisdome may quickly come to nought by the sons folly, Psal. 39.7.

Wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have showed my self wise] Which by my labour and by my wisdom I have gotten. He understandeth humane wisdom in managing worldly affairs to the best improvement, Isa. 10.13. Ezek. 38.4, 5. These are the two great principles of humane actions, Wisdom to direct; Labour, to execute: Wisdom by counsel guideth labour; and Labour through experience increaseth wisdom. That wisdom is fruitless, which doth not produce labour; and that labour is useless, which is not managed by wisdom. Some conceive, that Solomon here did foresee, at least, that Rehoboam by his folly might scatter many of those great works, and lose much of that ample power and wealth which his father by his wisdom had gotten, 1 Reg. 12.13, 15.

Wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed my self wise] Which by my labour and by my wisdome I have gotten. He understandeth humane wisdome in managing worldly affairs to the best improvement, Isa. 10.13. Ezek. 38.4, 5. These are the two great principles of humane actions, Wisdome to direct; Labour, to execute: Wisdome by counsel guideth labour; and Labour through experience encreaseth wisdome. That wisdome is fruitless, which doth not produce labour; and that labour is useless, which is not managed by wisdome. Some conceive, that Solomon here did foresee, at least, that Rehoboam by his folly might scatter many of those great works, and lose much of that ample power and wealth which his father by his wisdome had gotten, 1 Reg. 12.13, 15.

V. 20. Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour, &c.] I went about, or, I circled. The meaning is, Having turned hither and thither to take a view of all humane actions, and every where discovering notable vanity in them all, I found my self, after I was wearied in this round, brought at last to utter despair and despondency of spirit, being without hope of ever finding out that in any of my labours for which I h•d undertaken them. When I ⟨p. 81⟩found, after all my labour, this sad uncertainty attending on them, that it was out of my power to dispose them for the future so, but that they might fall into the hands of a fool that would demolish and dissipate them all; who by his folly, would extinguish the monuments of my wisdom; and by his luxury, the fruits of my labour: Then I bestirred my self to make my heart despair, to call it wholly off from all my labours. The word importeth a desisting from a purpose or work undertaken, a changing of a mans counsel, finding the attempt to be fruitless or unfeasible, Isa. 57.10. Jer. 2.25. & 18.12. There is a Rational despair, when a man having erroneously sought for some good from that which is wholly unable to afford it, doth thereupon give over so fruitless an inquiry, and betake himself to that which is more effectual, Isa. 55.2. and there is a passionate despair proceeding from that frowardness of heart which such a disappointment is apt to produce in carnal minds, when because a man cannot enjoy that good from a thing which he expected, he will therefore wholly fall out with it, though it be otherwise good in its degree, and doth bring such comfortable fruit as God appointed it for. This is a sinful despair: For the Lord hath made many promises unto ⟨p. 82⟩the labour which we take about outward things, Prov. 12.24. & 13.11

Duty and labour about outward things, belongs unto us, but the disposition of them into what hands he pleaseth, belongeth unto God. In the mean time, it is a good argument to draw off the heart from anxious and inordinate toil about worldly things: and rather to employ our thoughts about the education of our children, lest much wealth in the hands of a foolish son, prove an argument of our folly; whereas a little estate with principles of wisdom and piety instilled into him that must enjoy it, will be a greater blessing unto him, and an evidence of more wisdom in our selves.

Duty and labour about outward things, belongs unto us, but the disposition of them into what hands he pleaseth, belongeth unto God. In the mean time, it is a good argument to draw off the heart from anxious and inordinate toyl about worldly things: and rather to imploy our thoughts about the education of our children, lest much wealth in the hands of a foolish son, prove an argument of our folly; whereas a little estate with principles of wisdome and piety instilled into him that must enjoy it, will be a greater blessing unto him, and an evidence of more wisdome in our selves.

V. 21. For there is a man whose labour ⟨p. 83⟩is in wisdom, &c.] i. e. who, 1. by his habitual skill and faculty of contrivance. 2. by his experimental and improved knowledge; and 3. by his just, honest, and righteous dealing; concurring all 4. with diligent labour, (unto which kind of principles so attempered, the blessing of God is usually annexed,) doth get a fair and full estate: and when he hath all done, must leave it to another who never took thought about it, nor stirred hand or foot towards the gathering of it. This is a third reason of the wise mans weariness of his life and labours, namely, that he should be a very drudge for another man, and should use all his skill and pains, and suffer so much anxiety and disquiet only to purchase rest and idleness for his successor. And this is a great and sore evil, that the labour should be one mans, and the fruit thereof another's, and is often threatened as a punishment, Job. 5.5. Hos. 7.9. & 8.7. Deut. 28.30, 31, 32, 33. Psal. 39.6. Prov. 13.22.

V. 21. For there is a man whose labour ⟨p. 83⟩is in wisdome, &c.] i. e. who, 1. by his habitual skill and faculty of contrivance. 2. by his experimental and improved knowledge; and 3. by his just, honest, and righteous dealing; concurring all 4. with diligent labour, (unto which kind of principles so attempered, the blessing of God is usually annexed,) doth get a fair and full estate: and when he hath all done, must leave it to another who never took thought about it, nor stirred hand or foot towards the gathering of it. This is a third reason of the wise mans weariness of his life and labours, namely, that he should be a very drudge for another man, and should use all his skill and pains, and suffer so much anxiety and disquiet only to purchase rest and idleness for his successor. And this is a great and sore evil, that the labour should be one mans, and the fruit thereof anothers, and is often threatned as a punishment,

shall he give it for his portion] Or, shall he give his portion. That which in all reason after so much labour should have been the portion of him who laboured for it, he is compelled by death to give or leave it to another man, and so to make it that other mans portion.

V. 22. for what hath man of all his labour, &c.] What is there unto a man of all his labour? Nehem. 6.6. viz. what profit, comfort, advantage, can a man have of such labour wherein all the pain is his, and all the fruit and benefit another mans? Chap. 1.3. & 3.9. Psal. 39 6.

vexation of his heart] Hereby are noted those discruciating, disquieting, careful thoughts, whereby he doth project and contrive within himself all ways of gain, and how to increase and preserve a great estate, Psal. 49.11. Hab. 2.5, 6. 1 Tim. 6.9, 10. This may refer to all the three Reasons before given; 1. What hath man left to himself of all his labour and vexation when he is dead and gone, all the world is then gone to him, Job 1.21. 1 Tim. 6.7. Ps. 49.17.2. What good hath he by all that pains which was taken for another man, who if he were wise, would be able to take the pains for himself, and if foolish, will be likely to make all another mans pains fruitless, which he took to provide for him, Job 27.16, 17.3. What hath he of all his Labour more than the other man who sa•e still, and lived quietly, and saw him toil and drudge to get him an estate who laboured not for it? nothing at all more as to contentment and fruition, much more as to weariness and vexation.

vexation of his heart] Hereby are noted those discruciating, disquieting, careful thoughts, whereby he doth project and contrive within himself all waies of gain, and how to increase and preserve a great estate, Psal. 49.11. Hab. 2.5, 6. 1 Tim. 6.9, 10. This may refer to all the three Reasons before given; 1. What hath man left to himself of all his labour and vexation when he is dead and gone, all the world is then gone to him, Job 1.21.

V. 23. For all his days are sorrows, and his travel grief] &c.] These words are very emphatical, to set forth the pain and trouble of such a man who toils for others: and the wise man closeth this disquisition as he did the first, Chap. 1.18. only this is expressed with greater emphasis, as being the greater evil of the two; as vers. 21. 1. The words are many, to show the greatness of the trouble. 2. The word translated sorrows, signifieth a very painful and cruciating grief, the grief of some sore wound, Gen. 34.25. Jer. 51.8. and used in the case of Israels sorrow in their bondage in Egypt, Exod. 3.7. and in Babylon, Lam. 1.12. and to express the sorrows of Christ, Isa. 53.3, 4. See Job 33.19. Prov. 14.13. 3. The abstract is used for the Concrete, it is not said, all his days are sorrowful, but very sorrow it self, which addeth much force to the sense, as Gen. 3.6. Ps. 5.9. & 39.5. Hag. 2.8. Gen. 12.2. Cant. 5.16. 4. The word is in the plural number, all his days are sorrows, (i. e.) full of sorrow, great sorrow, and variety of sorrow; as Isa. 63.6. 2 Pet. 3.11. So it is said, that the Sodomites were smitten with blindness,

and his travel [or anxious and careful labour] grief. Or, indignation, his wearisome ⟨p. 86⟩employments, full of disquietness, and of continual solicitude, meeting withal with many miscarriages and disappointments, do stir up much grief and displeasure of heart.

and his travel [or anxious and careful labour] grief. Or, indignation, his wearisome ⟨p. 86⟩imployments, full of disquietness, and of continual sollicitude, meeting withal with many miscarriages and disappointments, do stir up much grief and displeasure of heart.

Hereby is noted the exceeding great trouble of heart, which ariseth out of an inordinate conversing about worldly things, and apprehension of parting with them. For the less measure there is in the labour of getting them, the more trouble there is in the thoughts of parting with them. If the life of the best men be full of evil and labour, Gen. 47.9. Ps. 90.10. Job. 14.1. & 5.7. Our mother brings us forth in sorrow, and unto sorrow: much more unquiet must be the life of those who labour in the fire, and for very vanity, Hab. 2.13.

Hereby is noted the exceeding great trouble of heart, which ariseth out of an inordinate conversing about worldly things, and apprehension of parting with them. For the less measure there is in the labour of getting them, the more trouble there is in the thoughts of parting with them. If the life of the best men be full of evil and labour, Gen. 47.9. Ps. 90.10. Job. 14.1. & 5.7. Our mother brings us forth in sorrow, and unto sorrow: much more unquiet must be the life of those who labour in the fire, and for very vanity, Habb. 2.13.

yea, his heart taketh no rest in the night] The night was appointed by God for man to rest in, as the day to labour, Ps. 104.23. & 127.2. Job 4.13. But such a man depriveth himself of that blessing, which God by the very season offers him, Job 7.3, 4, 13, 14. Eccl. 5.12, 13. Prov. 3.24. Or, if such a mans body, through labour and weariness, do sleep, yet his heart is still taken up with unquiet thoughts and cares; for the heart may be awake when the body sleeps, Cant. 5.2.