Annotations on the book of Ecclesiastes

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.

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.

V. 6. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin] These words contain the second Rule concerning Vows, which is to teach us to avoid all rash Vows which are unadvisedly made, and that is done two ways;

V. 6. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin] These words contain the second Rule concerning Vowes, which is to teach us to avoid all rash Vowes which are unadvisedly made, and that is done two wayes;

1. When we vow things sinful, when our mouth causeth us to sin,

2. When in lawful things we vow, and presently repent, seeking after shifts and evasions to elude the obligation, and to excuse our selves. Suffer not thy mouth, by making an hasty vow, to cause thy flesh] That is, thy tongue, or thy self to sin. Flesh is taken by a Synecdoche, for •he whole man, Gen. 6.12. Isai. 40.5. Rom. 3.20. It may seem here to be used for the whole man, to intimate, that rash vows are usually grounded upon fleshly, rather then spiritual reasons. A man did not go about them with his soul and spirit, upon solemn and serious grounds, but to gratify himself in some carnal interest or other, or to carry on some sinful end, Acts 23.12, 13. Mal. 1.14. 2 Sam. 15.8, 9. Prov. 7.14. A like expression, Eccl. 11.10.

2. When in lawful things we vow, and presently repent, seeking after shifts and evasions to elude the obligation, and to excuse our selves. Suffer not thy mouth, by making an hasty vow, to cause thy flesh] That is, thy tongue, or thy self to sin. Flesh is taken by a Synecdoche, for •he whole man, Gen. 6.12. Isai. 40.5. Rom. 3.20. It may seem here to be used for the whole man, to intimate, that rash vowes are usually grounded upon fleshly, rather then spiritual reasons. A man did not go about them with his soul and spirit, upon solemn and serious grounds, but to gratifie himself in some carnal interest or other, or to carry on some sinful end,

neither say thou before the Angel] By the Angel some do understand the Priest, or ⟨p. 163⟩Messenger of the Lord towards the people; so they are called, Job 33.23. Mal. 2.7. Rev. 1.20. for in the case of an Oath, wherein there was error or ignorance, the person was to bring a sacrifice, and the Priest was to make an atonement for him, Lev. 5.4, 5, 6. And then the meaning is, Do not when thou hast vowed, repent and grudge, and go to the Priest, acknowledging an error or ignorance, that so thou mayest save charges, and lick thy self whole, by offering a sacrifice to excuse a vow. Others, understand the Angels of heaven, who are sent forth for the good of the Elect, and who observe our behaviour in Gods Worship; as that in the Apostle useth to be understood, 1 Cor. 11.10. Matth. 18.10. Luk. 12.8. 1 Tim. 5.21. the Greek reads it, [Greek or Hebrew]. Before God; it may haply be meant of the Temple or House of God, where they did pay their vows, Psal. 66.13. wherein there were Cherubims drawn, in token of the presence of the Angels, and their protection to the Church, 1 Reg. 6.29, 32. Others, understand it of Christ, who is the searcher of hearts, and will not be mocked, cannot be deceived; who is the Angel of the Covenant, and who is in the midst of his people, his Candlesticks, when they come to Worship, Exod. 23.20, 21. called the presence ⟨p. 164⟩of God,

That it was an error] That is, either do not vow so rashly and unadvisedly, as to be at last brought to a necessity of confessing a sinful error, but advise before hand that thou mayest not err. Such a rash vow was that of Jephthah, Judg, 11.30, 31, 35. and that other of Saul, 1 Sam. 14.24, 29, 39, 40. Or else, do not excuse thy self for breaking thy vow, by saying, thou didst it imprudently, and wert mistaken in it, it was an ignorance which thou art willing, by some sacrifice, or other way of devotion to expiate; as sacrifices were to be offered for the ignorances of the people, Levit. 2.27. Numb. 15.24, 25. Heb. 9.7. Do not cover a wilful prevarication with a specious pretence, nor after vows make enquiry, Prov. 20.25.

That it was an errour] That is, either do not vow so rashly and unadvisedly, as to be at last brought to a necessity of confessing a sinfull errour, but advise before hand that thou maiest not erre. Such a rash vow was that of Jephthah, Judg, 11.30, 31, 35. and that other of Saul, 1 Sam. 14.24, 29, 39, 40. Or else, do not excuse thy self for breaking thy vow, by saying, thou didst it imprudently, and wert mistaken in it, it was an ignorance which thou art willing, by some sacrifice, or other way of devotion to expiate; as sacrifices were to be offered for the ignorances of the people, Levit. 2.27. Numb. 15.24, 25. Heb. 9.7. Do not cover a wilfull prevarication with a specious pretence, nor after vowes make enquiry, Prov. 20.25.