Annotations on the book of Ecclesiastes

My glory be not thou united unto their assembly; the Noun is masculine, the verb feminine, to signify that by glory, the same was to be understood in that clause, which was expressed ⟨p. 12⟩by the feminine Noun, the soul, in the former clause: and so glory seems elsewhere to signify the soul of a man, Ps. 30.12. If it be inquired what may be the cause why Solomon doth not prefix his proper name to this Book, as to the other two of the Proverbs and Canticles: Though it be not necessary to be curious in questions of this nature, yet this may be inoffensively conjectured; 1. That he seems hereby to intimate, That by his former sins he had as it were forfeited his name of Peace, and so we find that by reason of those his sins, God stirred up adversaries against him, 1 King. 11.14, 23. 2. To note his sincerity, who now chose to be known rather by the name of a penitent convert, than of a peaceable Prince, as if he who had troubled Israel by his sins, did no longer deserve his name of peace, as the prodigal said to his father, I am no more worthy to be called thy son. So in Scripture, men have taken new names suitable to a new condition, Gen. 52.28. Ruth. 1.20. Mar. 3.16, 17. Nehem. 9.7. The other additions likewise to his name of penitence may seem to be looked on by him as aggravations of his sins. 1. That he was the son of David, a godly father, who had given him such holy education, who had provided him materials to build Gods house, and greatly encouraged ⟨p. 13⟩him to advance the worship of the Lord, who had been an example to him to take heed of falling into gross sins, that the son of such a father should fall so solely. 2. That he was a King on his fathers throne, and that not by right of inheritance, but by special designation from the Lord, who had singled him out above his brethren, and had appeared unto him twice, & gave him wisdom and princely endowments for so great a place, that he should defile the throne whereunto he had been so graciously advanced, and from thence give to all the people so sad an example of sensuality and apostasy. 3. That he was a King in Jerusalem, an holy City, where was Gods throne as well as the thrones of the house of David, that he should defile the Lords land, and his dwelling place: These were considerations worthy for such a penitent to have his eyes on, for his greater humiliation. Thereby teaching us, 1.

That the sins of the child are greatly aggravated by the godliness of the parent, Jer. 22.15, 16, 17. 2. That the sins of the child are greatly aggravated by the falls and miscarriages of the parent, Dan. 5.18—23. 3. That sins are greatly aggravated by the dignities and privileges of those that commit them, 2 Sam. 12.7, 8, 9. Deut. 32.12—19. Amos 2.9—13.3.2. 4. That the greater the ⟨p. 14⟩person is that sinneth, whereby the scandal to the Church is likewise the greater, the more solemn ought his repentance to be, Numb. 12.14, 15, 16. 2 Chron. 33.12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19. 5. That the power of grace is exceeding great, which can subdue the hearts of the greatest men unto the heaviest yoke of public and solemn repentance, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5, 6. And further, from the description of the person, and his writing of this book, we may observe, 1. That eminency of wisdom without the continued assistance of grace, cannot keep a man from gross and foul lapses. Never a wiser man than Solomon, and never any Saint fell into more foolish lusts. God is pleased sometimes to suffer men to fall into such sins, the contrary graces whereunto they had most eminently been adorned withal. As David, a most spiritual man, into fleshly l•st; Lot, whose righteous soul had been vexed at the filthy conversation of the Sodomites, into another sort of unnatural impurity by incest of his daughters: Job, into impatience; Moses, the meekest man alive, into great passion of mind, Numb. 20.10. Peter, the boldest Disciple, into base fear and cowardice of spirit in denying his Master. 2. That height of honour, and abundance of wealth, are sore snares and temptations, even to the

That the Saints, after some great offence given by their falls to the Church, make it their business, upon their repentance, to do some more notable and eminent service to the Church: as Peter who had been most fearful in denying Christ, was after most forward in preaching him, and most bold in the profession of him, Act. 1.15. & 2.14. & 3.12. & 4.8. & 5.29.

And because it might be thought to be true only of some things, and that some other things which Solomon had not looked so narrowly into, might haply have more excellency in them, therefore he addeth, to prevent this objection, that All is vanity. All, not simply, but with limitation to the subject matter of which he treateth in this Book; Every thing severally, all things jointly. Not any one thing alone, not all things collectively and together are able to satisfy the soul, and to make it happy. It is true, the works of God are all good and excellent, sought out of all those that have pleasure in them. But good in their kind and order; of excellent use to set forth the glory, power, wisdom and goodness of God, and of necessary service for the use of man. 1 Tim. 4.4, 5. Yet withal vain in other respects; 1. Comparatively vain, when put in the balance ⟨p. 18⟩with God, and heavenly things, Job 15.15. Isa. 40.15, 16, 17. 2. Vain by that superinduced vanity, whereunto they are subjected by the sin of man, Rom. 8.20. 3. Vain in order unto happiness, the full possession, the most vigorous fruition of them, cannot bring real satisfaction to the soul of a man; Man himself, the noblest of them all, and that at his best estate, being altogether vanity, Psal. 39.5, 6, 11. Psal. 62.9. & 144.3, 4. They are vain. 1. In regard of their unprofitableness unto such an use, Jer. 16.19. 2. In regard of their falseness and deceitfulness to those who lean upon them, Job 15—20. Ps. 31.7. & 62.10

saith the Preacher] Both by inspiration, as a Pen-man of the holy Ghost: and by experience, as one who had learned it dearly, and to his cost. He sets his name as in the ⟨p. 19⟩inscription to the whole book, so here, a second time to this, which is the sum of the whole book, confidently owning the truth thereof; as sometimes the Apostle addeth his name emphatically, to set on what he affirmeth or desireth, 2 Cor. 10.1. Gal. 5.2. Philem. ver. 9, 19. So 1 Pet. 5.1. 1 Joh. 1.1, 3. They who speak to the Church, should do it experimentally, and from demonstration of the truth to their own hearts, that they may be confidently able to own, and to avow what they say.

V. 3. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?] Or, what remaineth and abideth with a man of all his labour? What is added to him, or what more hath he by it?

of all his labour] The word imports toilsome and troublesome labour, and so rendered by the Septuagint, [Greek or Hebrew]; and by Aquila, [Greek or Hebrew].

of all his labour] The word imports toylsome and troublesome labour, and so rendred by the Septuagint, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉; and by Aquila, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉.

under the sun] This may relate to either passage of the verse, either, what remaineth to a man under the Sun; that is, nothing under the Sun will tarry or abide with him. Or, of all the labour which he hath laboured under the Sun; or in relation to worldly matters here below. There is a conversation and a labour in order to things above the Sun, which will remain with a man, and profit him, ⟨p. 20⟩Phil. 3.20. Col. 3.1, 2. Joh. 6.27. But labour in earthly things will not do so. We are said to labour under the Sun, because earthly labour is done by the light of the Sun, Psal. 104.22, 23. Joh. 9.4. and because by that light we are more comforted in the fruition of them, as Eccles. 11.7. and because the benefit we expect from our labours, is wrought instrumentally by the warmth and influence of the Sun, Deut. 33, 14. Here then the wise man proveth his general proposition. Whatsoever is unprofitable and perishing, is very vanity: All things under the Sun, about which the anxious and toilsome labour of man is conversant, are unprofitable and perishing, for nothing of them will remain unto him, or abide with him. Therefore they are all vain. And this he propoundeth by way of interrogation, which makes the negative more unquestionable, as appealing to the conscience of every man, and challenging any man to disprove it. The Scripture usually denies more emphatically by way of interrogation; as Gen. 30.2. 2 Sam. 7.5. compared with 1 Chron. 17.4. Matth. 16.26

Those works are beneficial which follow a man, Rev. 14.13. therefore we must lay out our labour upon a life that abides and abounds, Joh. 10.10. Isa. 55.2. and not labour in the fire, and for every vanity, Hab. 2.13. Luk. 12.6. Matth. 24.38, 39.

Those works are ben••icial which follow a man, Rev. 14.13. therefore we must lay out our labour upon a life that abides and abounds, Joh. 10.10. Isa. 55.2. and not labour in the fire, and for every vanity, Hab. 2.13. Luk. 12.6. Matth. 24.38, 39.

V. 4. One generation goeth, and another generation cometh, but the earth abideth for ever] By Generation is meant the time wherein a Body of men do live and continue together, so we read of this or that Generation, Luk. 21.32. Heb. 3.10. the second, third, tenth generation or ages of men yet to come, Deut. 23.2, 3, 8. A mans own generation, ⟨p. 22⟩or ages of men yet to come, Deut. 23.2, 3, 8. A mans own generation, or the age wherein he liveth, Acts 12.36. There is a constant succession of men to one another, a fixed time, as the days of an hireling, Job 7.1.—10. & 14.14. The inward principles of change and mortality are always working, and life is like a shepherds tent, which doth not continue in one place or stay, Isa. 68.12.

V. 4. One generation goeth, and another generation cometh, but the earth abideth for ever] By Generation is meant the time wherein a Body of men do live and continue together, so we read of this or that Generation, Luk. 21.32. Heb. 3.10. the second, third, tenth generation or ages of men yet to come, Deut. 23.2, 3, 8. A mans own generation, ⟨p. 22⟩or ages of men yet to come, Deut. 23.2, 3, 8. A mans own generation, or the age wherein he liveth, Acts 12.36. There is a constant succession of men to one another, a fixed time, as the daies of an hireling, Job 7.1

But the earth abideth or standeth for ever] Continueth much longer than the men that are upon it; for ever, noteth often a long time, so long as the present course and order of nature is to continue, Ps. 119.90. so long as such or such an administration lasteth, Gen. 9.12. 1 Sam. 2.30. 1 Sam. 13.13. otherwise we know the earth is to be changed, and in some sense at the least to pass away, as now the inhabitants thereof do, Matth. 24.35. Psal. 102.25, 27. There seems to be a double sense in the words, both Consonant to the present argument. 1. That man cannot be happy by any thing which is here below, in regard of his transitory condition, fathers going, and children succeeding; a mans labour haply may enrich him, or bring him to honour, but it cannot lengthen out his days beyond one generation, and then he and all his acquirements must part, and in ⟨p. 23⟩this respect, the earth on which he treads, is in a condition better than himself, for it abideth to the end. 2. Man seeking happiness from the earth and earthly things, must needs be disappointed of his expectation, because he passeth away, and the earth stays behind him. If he could carry the earth along with him, he might haply promise himself his wonted contentments, but the earth abides where it was, when he goeth from it, and can enjoy it no more, Job. 7.10. Ps. 49.17. Here then we may observe. First, a determinate time prefixed to the life, states, honours, offices of men, at uttermost they are but for one generation, wherein every man hath his service to do, his warfare to accomplish, his race to run, Job 7.1. & 14.5

Fourthly, so long as the generations of men continue, so long doth the Lord by his decree continue the earth for their supportance and salvation, because he hath given it to the children of men, Deut, 32.8▪ and when the generations of men are ended, it shall then appear that the whol• Creation was subject to vanity, and […] the bondage of corruption, Rom. 8.20. 2 Pe• 3.5, 7.

Fourthly, so long as the generations of men continue, so long doth the Lord by his decree continue the earth for their supportance and salvation, because he hath given it to the children of men, Deut, 32.8▪ and when the generations of men are ended, it shall then appear that the whol• Creation was subject to vanity, and 〈…〉 the bondage of corruption, Rom. 8.20. 2 Pe• 3.5, 7.

V. 5. The sun also ariseth, and th• sun goeth down, and hasteth to the pla•• where he arose] Or, panteth towards th• place. A metaphor from one who run earnestly to some mark, or presseth fo••ward with strong desire to something would attain, Psal. 119.131. Job 7.•• A like expression, Psal. 19.6, 7. an• 104.19. whereby is signified an unwearied, yet constant and regular motion founded in a Covenant or ordinance Heaven, Jer. 31.35, 36, and 33.2• Job 38.33. from which without a sp••cial and extraordinary restraint from […] (as Josh. 10.12. Isa. 38.8. Job 9.7▪ it never varieth. Having thus affirmed all things under the sun that they are […] he here beginneth with the sun it […] ⟨p. 25⟩which doth as it were weary it self out of breath with continual motion. 1. If it did bring happiness to a man in its rising, it would remove it again in its setting. 2. Though the earth abideth for ever, and the sun moveth regularly over it with its warmth, and the winds blow on it to refresh the fruits thereof, Cant. 4.16. and the waters pass through it to make it fruitful,

V. 6. The wind goeth towards the South and turneth about unto the North, &c. As the sun, so the winds have their courses, whereby is noted the uncertainty of outward things, if they please in their coming they must disquiet in their departing, where•as the matter of happiness must be ever present and permanent. Here we may also not the wise providence of God in the circuit of the winds and other sublunary creature which he bringeth out of his treasure, […] directeth as it pleaseth him for the uses […] men, one while making them helpful to […] part of the earth, and another while to an••ther, Psal. 135.7. Job 37.7. & 38.2▪ Jer. 10.13. Deut. 28.12. Psal. 78.2▪ Gen. 8.1. Exod. 8.1. & 14.21. He see••eth likewise to have respect to those wind• which in some parts of the world, have a […] regular and uniform motion, in […] months of the year, blowing constant ⟨p. 27⟩out of one quarter, and in others, out of another. The words [going, circuiting, whirling about, returning] are used to show the restless and unquiet nature of these things, their busy and speedy motion, as if they were ever out of their place; all which show how full of vanity they are, and represent the disquiet agitations of the mind of man, till it fix upon him that is immutable.

V. 6. The winde goeth towards the South and turneth about unto the North, &c. As the sun, so the windes have their courses, whereby is noted the uncertainty of outward things, if they please in their coming they must disquiet in their departing, whereas the matter of happiness must be ever present and permanent. Here we may also not the wise providence of God in the circui of the windes and other sublunary creature which he bringeth out of his treasure, directeth as it pleaseth him for the uses men, one while making them helpful to part of the earth, and another while to anther,

V. 7. All rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full: unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.] Though rivers hastily run into the sea, as into their cistern, yet the sea is not filled, so as to swell above the earth, or overflow the bounds within which God hath decreed it to stay, Job 38.8.—11. Psal. 104.8, 9. Jer. 15.22. The reason whereof is, because there is […] perpetual and proportionable return, as fast […] by some channels waters go from their •ountains to the sea, by others they return from the sea into the earth again. Thus, which •ay ever we cast our eyes, we every where meet with evidences of inconstancy and mutability here below, as testimonies of that •anity which all things under the sun are subject unto. 1. By the continual motions of these creatures, he seemeth to describe the restlessness of the mind of man, in enquiring after good. ⟨p. 28⟩2. The dis-satisfaction which it every where meeteth withal, finding no reason to rest or stay there, whither it had formerly hasted with greatest speed. As all rivers cannot fill the sea, so all creatures cannot fill the heart of man. It moves every way, forward and backward, to the South and to the North, from one content unto another for full satisfaction, but can find none, Psal. 39.6. & 74.11, 19. Prov. 19.21. Luk. 10.41.

V. 7. All rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full: unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.] Though rivers hastily run into the sea, as into their cistern, yet the sea is not filled, so as to swell above the earth, or overflow the bounds within which God hath decreed it to stay,