Annotations on the book of Ecclesiastes

the King himself is served by the field] Or, the King himself is for the field: or the King is served for the fields sake, that under him men may quietly labour and eat the fruits of the earth: or the King himself dresseth his field, is as it were a servant to his field to order and husband it. It lies on him to take care of husbandry, that he and his people may be nourished. The most simple meaning is to show, that from the meanest to the greatest, the fruits of the earth are necessary for every mans supportance. Therefore Joseph reserved the fifth of the fruits of the Earth for Pharaoh, Gen. 47.24. and it is recorded for the commendation of King Uzziah, that he was a lover of Husbandry, 2 Chron. 26.10.

the King himself is served by the field] Or, the King himself is for the field: or the King is served for the fields sake, that under him men may quietly labour and eat the fruits of the earth: or the King himself dresseth his field, is as it were a servant to his field to order and husband it. It lyes on him to take care of husbandry, that he and his people may be nourished. The most simple meaning is to shew, that from the meanest to the greatest, the fruits of the earth are necessary for every mans supportance. Therefore Joseph reserved the fifth of the fruits of the Earth for Pharaoh, Gen. 47.24. and it is recorded for the commendation of King Uzziah, that he was a lover of Husbandry, 2 Chron. 26.10.

V. 10. He that loveth silver shall not •e satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase] This may be understood either Absolutely by it self, to set forth the unsatiable greediness of covetous wretches, whose desires are like the grave, and never say, It is enough, Habak. 2.5, 6, 8, 9. Isa. 5.8. or Comparatively, with relation to what was said before, There is a profit and real benefit which the Earth bringeth unto those that labour about it, but money though a man increase it never so much, and though it appear never so lovely ⟨p. 172⟩unto him, yet it cannot of it self satisfy any desire of Nature; if a man be hungry, it cannot feed him; if naked, it cannot clothe him; if cold, it cannot warm him; if sick, it cannot recover him. As it is an instrument of traffic, which answereth unto All things, Eccles. 10.19. So it may be a defence to a man, Chap. 7.12. and may provide other things for him. But if God should withhold the fruits of the Earth; and forbid that to bring them forth, abundance of wealth would be as useless as so many stones: a man hath no good of money, nor of other •rades, further then they purchase or manage for us the fruits of the earth.

V. 10. He that loveth silver shall not •e satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase] This may be understood either Absolutely by it self, to set forth the unsatiable greediness of covetous wretches, whose desires are like the grave, and never say, It is enough, Habak. 2.5, 6, 8, 9. Isa. 5.8. or Comparatively, with relation to what was said before, There is a profit and real benefit which the Earth bringeth unto those that labour about it, but money though a man increase it never so much, and though it appear never so lovely ⟨p. 172⟩

The later clause some thus render it, He that loveth it, shall not have any increase by, or in the abundance thereof. Increase here, is a word which signifieth Increase of the earth, such fruits as may be eaten: and money is not fructus edulis, though it come out of the earth. But the prefix [Greek or Hebrew] set before the word Abundance, being sometimes a note of the Accusative case, and expressing the object of an Action, we may well record it as it is in our Version; He that loveth abundance; as Gen. 34.1. & 37.2. Prov. 9.5. Multitude, or Abundance, here, is taken in the same kind, for gathered wealth, as Psal. 37.16.

The later clause some thus render it, He that loveth it, shall not have any increase by, or in the abundance thereof. Increase here, is a word which signifieth Increase of the earth, such fruits as may be eaten: and money is not fructus edulis, though it come out of the earth. But the prefix 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 set before the word Abundance, being sometimes a note of the Accusative case, and expressing the object of an Action, we may well record it as it is in our Version; He that loveth abundance; as Gen. 34.1. & 37.2. Prov. 9.5. Multitude, or Abundance, here, is taken in the same kind, for gathered wealth, as Psal. 37.16.

and what good, or what profit is there to the owners thereof] Chap. 1.3. & 2.14. & 3.9.

saving the beholding of them with their eyes?] He hath no advantage above others, save that he sees them eat that, the property whereof is his: and this is some good; for it is a more blessed thing to give, then to receive, Act. 20.35. or, he can only please ⟨p. 174⟩himself with looking on his land on moneys as his own, whereas the real benefit which they yield, doth accrue unto others as well as to himself. And if his eye have any advantage above his servants in this respect, Theirs have an advantage above his in another; for they are refreshed with sweet sleep, which his are usually deprived of.

saving the beholding of them with their eyes?] He hath no advantage above others, save that he sees them eat that, the property whereof is his: and this is some good; for it is a more blessed thing to give, then to receive, Act. 20.35. or, he can onely please ⟨p. 174⟩himself with looking on his land on moneys as his own, whereas the real benefit which they yield, doth accrue unto others as well as to himself. And if his eye have any advantage above his servants in this respect, Theirs have an advantage above his in another; for they are refreshed with sweet sleep, which his are usually deprived of.

V. 12. The s•eep of a labouring man] Or of a servant, or of him that tilleth the ground, or is conversant about any painful trade and work, Gen. 4.2. 2 Sam. 9.10. Prov. 12.11. Isa. 19.9,

is sweet] Whether he eat little or much: If he eat little, his labour causeth sweet sleep: If much, his healthiness and strength causing good concoction, doth not suffer his sleep to be disquieted with crude and offensive vapours. Besides labour taking up the mind, doth free it from those careful thoughts and covetings which are usually the hinderers of sweet sleep.

is sweet] Whether he eat little or much: If he eat little, his labour causeth sweet sleep: If much, his healthiness and strength causing good concoction, doth not suffer his sleep to be disquieted with crude and offensive vapours. Besides labour taking up the minde, doth free it from those careful thoughts and covetings which are usually the hinderers of sweet sleep.

but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep] This may be understood either of abundance of wealth, with the many cares, businesses, fears, troubles, which are consequent thereupon, Gen. 41.29. Prov. 3.10. Luke 12.16, 17. or of fullness of diet, gluttony and excess of delicious fare, which causeth distempers, and so hindereth sleep. This ⟨p. 175⟩seemeth rather to be intended, (because he mentioned eating before) and so to be directed against rich Gluttons, who spend their time in riot, feasting and excess, and so overcharge Nature with intemperance, beyond its strength, Luke 16.19. & 21.34. which causeth indigestion and malignant vapours whereby sleep is removed or disquieted, Eccles. 8.16. Prov. 4.16, 17. and this is a great vexation; for sweet sleep is a blessing of God to man, Psal. 127.2. Prov. 3.24.

but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep] This may be understood either of abundance of wealth, with the many cares, businesses, fears, troubles, which are consequent thereupon, Gen. 41.29. Prov. 3.10. Luke 12.16, 17. or of fulness of dyet, gluttony and excess of delicious fare, which causeth distempers, and so hindereth sleep. This ⟨p. 175⟩

V. 13. There is a sore evil which I have seen under the Sun] An evil that causeth Sickness, a very grievous and bitter evil. Or an Evil falling on men, Chap. 6.2.

riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt] Prov. 1.19. Either being unto them occasions of sin, & fuel of lust, causing pride, vanity, oppression, violence, gaming, gluttony, idleness, excess, Hab. 2.9, 10. Luke 12.15—21. 1 Tim. 6.9, 10. Luke 16.19. Deut. 6.11, 12. & 8.10, 11, 12. Prov. 30.9. Jam. 2.6, 7. & 5.3—6. or else exposing them unto envy and danger, to rapine and violence, Prov. 13.8. 2 Reg. 25.6, 7, 9, 12.

V. 14. But those riches perish by evil travel] Or, with much affliction. Either by their own improvidence, imprudence, luxury, &c. or by the fraud, circumvention and ⟨p. 176⟩violence of others, or by casualties and miscarriages in trading: or by some secret blast and curse from God, Prov. 23.5. and that after much travel and toil to get them, after much solicitude and anxious care to keep them, after much providence and tenderness towards his children to lay up for them.

V. 14. But those riches perish by evil travel] Or, with much affliction. Either by their own improvidence, imprudence, luxury, &c. or by the fraud, circumvention and ⟨p. 176⟩violence of others, or by casualties and miscarriages in trading: or by some secret blast and curse from God, Prov. 23.5. and that after much travel and toyl to get them, after much sollicitude and anxious care to keep them, after much providence and tenderness towards his children to lay up for them.

he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand] O•, in his power and possession, Dan. 2.38. Joh. 3.35. 1 Reg. 20.6. 1 Chr. 29.12. his hand, (i.) either the fathers, to to leave unto the son; or the sons, to inherit it after his father.

V. 15. As he came forth of his mothers womb, naked shall he return to go as he came] Though he could secure all his wealth from perishing, yet he himself must leave them, and go out of the World as naked as he came into it, And that which hath no power to free us from death, to comfort us in death, to go with us into another World after death, is no foundation of happiness or solid tranquillity, Job 1.21. Psal. 49.17. 1 Tim. 6.7. Luke 12.20, 21.

to go] (i.) To dye, Chap. 6.4. Job 16.22. Psal. 39.13. Phil. 1.23. Return, viz. to the Womb of the common mother, the earth, Job. 1.21. Eccles. 12.7.

and shall take nothing of his labour] That is, of his estate gotten by hard labour, Chap. ⟨p. 177⟩2.19. Prov. 5.10. Deut. 28.33. which he may carry away, or cause to go along with him, in his hand. He cannot carry so much as one handful of all that he hath with him.