Annotations on the book of Ecclesiastes

Be not rash] Go not about Gods Worship as men that in a fright or terror being amazed, fly hastily they know not whither. Do not precipitate thy words, nor speak any thing hastily, unadvisedly, according to the dictate of carnal and hasty desires before God, or in his house and presence. We know not what to ask as we ought, Rom. 8.26. and are very apt to put our own greedy and sudden passions into prayers, complaints, deprecations, to think God deals not well with us if we be not answered according to ⟨p. 157⟩our wills, and in our own time, Psal. 31.22. & 116.11. Job 10.2, 3, 18. Jer. 15.18. Jon. 4.2, 3. Matth. 20.20, 21. Psal. 77.7—10.

Be not rash] Go not about Gods Worship as men that in a fright or terrour being amazed, flye hastily they know not whither. Do not precipitate thy words, nor speak any thing hastily, unadvisedly, according to the dictate of carnal and hasty desires before God, or in his house and presence. We know not what to ask as we ought, Rom. 8.26. and are very apt to put our own greedy and sudden passions into prayers, complaints, deprecations, to think God deals not well with us if we be not answered according to ⟨p. 157⟩our wills, and in our own time, Psal. 31.22. & 116.11. Job 10.2, 3, 18. Jer. 15.18.

and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God] Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, Matth. 12.34. Therefore the remedy of rashness in our words, is to compose our thoughts and affections aright; to let our heart guide our tongue, not to bring raw, tumultuary, indigested thoughts into Gods presence, but to get a collected heart, to pray with understanding, with spirit, with judgment, and according to Gods Will; as David found his heart to pray to God, 2 Sam. 7.27. and called together his scattered affections, that he might fix them upon God, Psal. 103.1. Dan. 9.2, 3. Rom. 8.26, 27. 1 Cor. 14.15. 1 Joh. 5.14.

and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God] Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, Matth. 12.34. Therefore the remedy of rashness in our words, is to compose our thoughts and affections aright; to let our heart guide our tongue, not to bring raw, tumultuary, indigested thoughts into Gods presence, but to get a collected heart, to pray with understanding, with spirit, with judgment, and according to Gods Will; as David found his heart to pray to God, 2 Sam. 7.27. and call'd together his scattered affections, that he might fix them upon God, Psal. 103.1. Dan. 9.2, 3. Rom. 8.26, 27. 1 Cor. 14.15

We may likewise understand the Caveat, as directed against that carnal pride and contradiction of spirit, whereby the heart is apt to rise against God and his Word, when we hear of more spiritual service required by God, then our foolish sacrifices do amount unto, or our carnal hearts are able to perform, Jam. 1.19, 20. Rom. 10.21. Acts 13.45. & 28.19.

for God is in heaven, and thou on the earth] These are two Arguments to enforce this Caveat upon us; the one drawn from Gods greatness, the other from our vileness▪ Mean persons behave themselves with all honour & reverence, when they supplicate unto men of honour and eminency. Much more should men do so unto God. So Christ teacheth us in prayer to come unto God, as with confidence and comfort, because he is a Father; so with reverence and fear, because he is a Father in Heaven, Matth. 6.9.

for God is in heaven, and thou on the earth] These are two Arguments to enforce this Caveat upon us; the one drawn from Gods greatness, the other from our vilenesse▪ Mean persons behave themselves with all honour & reverence, when they supplicate unto men of honour and eminency. Much more should men do so unto God. So Christ teacheth us in prayer to come unto God, as with confidence and comfort, because he is a Father; so with reverence and fear, because he is a Father in Heaven, Matth. 6.9.

His being in Heaven denotes, 1. His dominion over us as Lord and Master, Eph. 6.9.

2. His glory and majesty above us, 1 Reg. 8.27. that we might learn to fear before him, Mal. 1.6. Deut. 28.58. Heb. 12.18, 29.

3. His holiness and purity, Deut. 26.15. Isal. 57.15. & 63.15. Hereby to raise us unto heavenly mindedness in our approaches unto him, Col. 3.1, 2. Lam. 3.40▪ 41.

3. His holinesse and purity, Deut. 26.15. Isal. 57.15. & 63.15. Hereby to raise us unto heavenly mindednesse in our approaches unto him, Col. 3.1, 2. Lam. 3.40▪ 41.

4. H•s power to answer us, and to do for us according to our desires, 2 Chron. 20.6, 7. Psal. 115.3. Matth. 5.45. & 7.11.

5. His omniscience, he looketh down on us, and seeth how we behave our selves in ⟨p. 159⟩his presence, Matth. 6.32. Psal. 11.4. & 33.13, 14.

6. His justice and displeasure against evil doers, Psal. 14.2, 3. Rom. 1.18. In all which respects, we ought to take heed of all hasty, rash, and unadvised frame of heart in Gods presence. Mans being on earth, signifieth his baseness and vile condition, his great distance from God, and by reason of corruption, his great dissimilitude unto him. He is of the earth earthly, 1 Cor. 15.47. Psal. 10.18. This consideration of our natural and sinful vileness, should greatly humble us in our approaches unto God, Job 4.19, 25. & 4.5, 6. & 40.4. Gen. 18.17. Isa. 6.5.

therefore let thy words be few] First, use not rash and vain babbling, and empty, heartless repetitions as the heathen, Mat. 6.7. but weigh and choose out words to speak unto him, Job 9.14. Eccles. 12.10. He speaketh not against all length in prayer; for Christ prayed whole nights: nor against all repetition, when it proceedeth from zeal, love, and holy fervency; as that of Daniel, Ch. 9.16, 18, 19. but of that which is a clamorous and vain ingeminating of the same thing without faith or wisdom, 1 Reg. 18.26. Secondly, let thy words be few, (i. e.) Let not thy vows be more then thou mayest comfortably perform.

therefore let thy words be few] First, use not rash and vain babling, and empty, heartless repetitions as the heathen, Mat. 6.7. but weigh and choose out words to speak unto him, Job 9.14. Eccles. 12.10. He speaketh not against all length in prayer; for Christ prayed whole nights: nor against all repetition, when it proceedeth from zeal, love, and holy fervency; as that of Daniel, Ch. 9.16, 18, 19. but of that which is a clamorous and vain ingeminating of the same thing without faith or wisdom, 1 Reg. 18.26. Secondly, let thy words be few, (i. e.) Let not thy vowes be more then thou mayest comfortably perform.

V. 3. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business, and a fools voice is known by multitude of words▪] (i. e.) As multitude of business produceth dreams, so multitude of words discovereth folly. When two sentences are connected together by a Copula, there is frequently imported a similitude between them, Prov. 17.3. & 25.23, 25, 26, 27. & 26.3, 7, 9, 11, 14, 17, 20, 21. Isa. 53.7. Another Argument moving unto the former duty, because, as certainly as much business produceth dreams, so much speech discovereth folly within, Prov. 10.19. Eccles. 10.11—14. Jam. 3.2.

V. 3. For a dream cometh through the multitude of businesse, and a fools voice is known by multitude of words▪] (i. e.) As multitude of business produceth dreams, so multitude of words discovereth folly. When two sentences are connected together by a Copula, there is frequently imported a similitude between them, Prov. 17.3. & 25.23, 25, 26, 27. & 26.3, 7, 9, 11, 14, 17, 20, 21. Isa. 53.7. Another Argument moving unto the former duty, because, as certainly as much business produceth dreams, so much speech discovereth folly within, Prov. 10.19.

V. 4. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it.] He giveth direction in the other particular, wherein men use to address themselves unto God, viz. Vows: And as he did in the former forbid rash hastiness, so he doth in this, warn to take heed of grudging delays. A vow is a solemn promise, or permissory oath made unto God, wherein a man doth voluntarily bind himself unto something, which was in his own power to bind himself unto. He doth not direct us here to make such a vow, but having made it, to take heed of breaking faith and promise with God, who never fails in any promise of his unto us, Josh. 21.45. nor delayeth to perform it in its time, Exod. 12. ⟨p. 161⟩41, 51. Heb. 2.3. 2 Pet. 3.9. This then is the first Rule concerning vows, That lawful vows must be speedily and cheerfully performed, Psal. 66.13, 14. & 76.11. Numb. 30.2. Deut. 13.21. Isai. 19.21. Matth. 5.33. God would not have an alteration in a vow, though it were for the better, Lev. 27.10. Thus Hanna made haste to perform her vow in dedicating her child unto God, as soon as he was weaned, 1 Sam. 1.11, 24, 28. God calls on Jacob, and minds him of his vow made before, and expected that he should go to Bethel, and pay it as he had promised, Gen. 35.1

for he hath no pleasure in fools] He is greatly displeased with those, who go about one while to flatter him in making a vow, and afterwards to mock him in refusing or delaying to perform it, Prov. 20.25. This is one reason, drawn from the folly in offending God; whereunto there is another adjoined.

for he hath no pleasure in fools] He is greatly disple'sed with those, who go about one while to flatter him in making a vow, and afterwards to mock him in refusing or delaying to perform it, Prov. 20.25. This is one reason, drawn from the folly in offending God; whereunto there is another adjoyned.

V. 5. Better it is that thou shouldest not vow, then that thou shouldest vow and not pay] It was arbitrary, and in our own power to make the vow, for vows were to be of things in a mans power, Numb. 30.3—15. Deut. 23.22. Acts 5.4. But it is not in our power whether, being made, we will pay it or no, ⟨p. 162⟩for we bring a bond upon our souls, and the vows of God will be upon us, Psal. 56.12.

V. 5. Better it is that thou shouldest not vow, then that thou shouldest vow and not pay] It was arbitrary, and in our own power to make the vow, for vowes were to be of things in a mans power, Numb. 30.3—15. Deut. 23.22. Acts 5.4. But it is not in our power whether, being made, we will pay it or no, ⟨p. 162⟩for we bring a bond upon our souls, and the vowes of God will be upon us, Psal. 56.12.