Annotations on the book of Ecclesiastes

V. 8. There is no man that hath power over the spirit, to retain the spirit, neither hath he power in the day of death.] By spirit, he meaneth the breath of life, or the soul. So it is often understood, Gen. 6.19. Job▪ 7.7. Isa. 42.5. Psal. 104.29. Luke 8.55. Jam. 2.26.

This may be understood, 1. Generally, to signify the weakness which is in man to help himself against the greatest future evil, namely, death: no power, industry, wisdom, can keep the Soul, when God by death requires it: no man hath the dominion over his own life, to live as long as it pleaseth himself; nor over death, to repel and resist Heb. 9. it when it comes, Psal. 49.7—10.27.

This may be understood, 1. Generally, to signifie the weakness which is in man to help himself against the greatest future evil, namely, death: no power, industry, wisedome, can keep the Soul, when God by death requires it: no man hath the dominion over his own life, to live as long as it pleaseth himself; nor over death, to repell and resist Heb. 9. it when it comes, Psal. 49.7—10.27.

2. Particularly, to the present argument of obedience to Princes, whose wrath is as the roaring of a Lyon, whose displeasure cannot ⟨p. 261⟩be avoided. An offender hath no power to retain his life, when supreme authority passeth judgment against it: and therefore we ought wisely to take heed of those provocations which are likely to cast us under so great danger: for the punishment of rebellion can no more be avoided, then the Wind can be held fast. Therefore we ought to keep our selves still within the bounds of duty, and that will preserve us from evil, as vers. 5.

2. Particularly, to the present argument of obedience to Princes, whose wrath is as the roaring of a Lyon, whose displeasure cannot ⟨p. 261⟩be avoided. An offender hath no power to retain his life, when supream authority passeth judgment against it: and therefore we ought wisely to take heed of those provocations which are likely to cast us under so great danger: for the punishment of rebellion can no more be avoided, then the Wind can be held fast. Therefore we ought to keep our selves still within the bounds of duty, and that will preserve us from evil, as vers. 5.

and there is no discharge in that war] Or, no weapon wherewith we can prevail in our war with death. There is no apparatus bellicus against such an Adversary, no arrow or javelin that a man can let fly in this combat; Or, there is no mission into this ⟨p. 262⟩battle, in vain doth any man go forth to make War against death. So the word seemeth to be understood, Psal. 78.49. [Greek or Hebrew]. So Symmachus rendereth it. It is not possible to stand in battle array against such an adversary: the Septuagint render it thus, [Greek or Hebrew]. There is no mission or dimission in that war; which sense our Interpreters seem to follow, in their Version, There is no discharge in that war, no man can have a Vacation or an Exa•ctoration from that warfare. There is no protection or deliverance from the hand of death.

and there is no discharge in that warr] Or, no weapon wherewith we can prevail in our war with death. There is no apparatus bellicus against such an Adversary, no arrow or javelin that a man can let flye in this combate; Or, there is no mission into this ⟨p. 262⟩battel, in vain doth any man go forth to make War against death. So the word seemeth to be understood, Psal. 78.49. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. So Symmachus rendreth it. It is not possible to stand in battel array against such an adversary: the Septuagint render it thus, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. There is no mission or dimission in that war; which sense our Interpreters seem to follow, in their Version, There is no discharge in that war, no man can have a Vacation or an Exa•ctoration from that warfare. There is no protection or deliverance from the hand of death.

neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it] Unquiet wickedness, sinful shifts, which men in danger are apt to betake themselves unto, though a man turn himself every way, and move every stone, yet he shall not be able to deliver himself. Saul and Pilate would fain shift off the guilt of their sins upon the people, 1 Sam. 15.21. Matth. 27.24. and Caiaphas pretended necessity for his persecuting of Christ, Joh. 11.50. but this did not deliver their souls. By wickedness, here may be understood, in relation to the argument of the text, Rebellion, Sedition, disobedience against Magistrates, as 1 Sam. 24.13. The words are a [Greek or Hebrew], wickedness shall not deliver, that is, It shall destroy ⟨p. 263⟩those that use it; as Rom. 1.16. Psal. 51.17. Prov. 17.21. Prov. 11.4.

neither shall wickednesse deliver those that are given to it] Unquiet wickedness, sinful shifts, which men in danger are apt to betake themselves unto, though a man turn himself every way, and move every stone, yet he shall not be able to deliver himself. Saul and Pilate would fain shift off the guilt of their sins upon the people, 1 Sam. 15.21. Matth. 27.24. and Caiaphas pretended necessity for his persecuting of Christ, Joh. 11.50. but this did not deliver their souls. By wickednesse, here may be understood, in relation to the argument of the text, Rebellion, Sedition, disobedience against Magistrates, as

V. 9. All this have I seen, and applied mine heart unto every work, that is done under the Sun: There is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.] With his wonted transition he passeth on to the observing of another Vanity, which was to be found amongst men; I applied or gave mine heart unto every work, as Chap. 7.25. teaching us with special attention to observe the ways of Gods providence in the world, Psal. 111.2. 1 Pet. 1.10, 11. When he was thus considering of the right means of living comfortably, by yielding due obedience unto Government: He found that some Princes were so tyrannical and intolerable, that it was very hard for men to live quietly under them, they go on without control, and miserably afflict the poor people, Prov. 28.15, 16. for whose good and comfort they were appointed, Rom. 13.4. God thus pleasing in his Justice many times to punish the sins of a Nation, by giving them up into the hands, under the will of unrighteous Governors, Zach. 11.6. Hos. 13.11. Job 34.30. Isa. 10.6. & 14.20. & 19.4. But he showeth vanity of such Tyrannical courses. They tend at last to the hurt of those that use them: the Rod which beateth the children, is usually ⟨p. 264⟩at last thrown into the fire. As their power hath put into their hands a greater liberty of sinning, so hath it heaped up for them a greater measure of wrath, Isa. 10.12.

V. 10. And so I saw the wicked b•ried, who had come and gone from the place of the Holy: and they were forgotten in the City where they had so done: This is also vanity.] These words are obscure, some understanding the former part of wicked Rulers, and the later part of good Rulers: others, the whole, only of wicked ones. The sum of the former sense is this; When I considered the rule of Tyrants over others, I observed that when they were dead and buried, they did as it were come and return again in their Children or wicked Successors, who reigned like them, Job 8.18, 19. or when they had been deprived and deposed, and so as it were buried, I saw them return to domination again. But other good men, who had walked with God in his holy place, are driven out of sight, made to run into corners, and as it were buried in forgetfulness, Prov. 28.12, 28. Psal. 12.8. even in that City where they had done Right. This he looked on as a great Vanity, that the memory of good men should ⟨p. 265⟩perish; and wicked men should be had in honour. But the other sense which applieth all to wicked Rulers, seemeth to be more genuine, and is followed by our Translation; I saw wicked Rulers continue all their life long in the place of the Holy one, to be had in great honour, and after they had gone in and out before the people in the place of Justice and Government, (which is the Throne of God) I saw them magnificently buried in very great pomp and solemnity, Luke 16.22. yet being dead, notwithstanding all those flatteries and formalities in their funeral, their name and memories did quickly perish and dye with their bodies, insomuch, that in that very City where they had lived in so great power, and been buried in so much state, they were presently forgotten, neither the Nobleness of their Families, nor the flatteries of their Creatures, nor the magnificent Monuments erected for them, were able to preserve their names from rottenness, Psal. 37.9, 10, 35, 36.

and they were forgotten] The Septuagint render it, and they were praised; upon an easy mistake of one letter for another in the original word.

and they were forgotten] The Septuagint render it, and they were praised; upon an easie mistake of one letter for another in the original word.

where they had so done] Others, where they had done right, in the first of the two former senses; [Greek or Hebrew], as Symmachus: or where whatsoever they did was accounted Right, and so it is appliable to the later sense.

where they had so done] Others, where they had done right, in the first of the two former senses; 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, as Symmachus: or where whatsoever they did was accompted Right, and so it is appliable to the later sense.

This is also Vanity] All the power and pomp of wicked men in their life, and funerals, is but mere Vanity, since when they are gone, their names and memorials perish with them.

V. 11. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily: therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.] Here is intimated the Reason why wicked Rulers go on without remorse or control in their tyranny and oppression all their life long; namely, because the Judgments of God threatened against them, are not presently put in execution. The prosperity ⟨p. 267⟩of wicked men doth exceedingly strengthen and harden them in their wickedness. This proceedeth from infidelity, and a root of Atheism in their hearts, they cannot see afar off; or if they do, yet because evil seems far from them, therefore they go on securely, abusing the goodness and long-suffering of God unto presumption, which should have led them unto repentance, Rom. 2.4.

V. 11. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily: therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.] Here is intimated the Reason why wicked Rulers go on without remorse or controle in their tyranny and oppression all their life long; namely, because the Judgments of God threatned against them, are not presently put in execution. The prosperity ⟨p. 267⟩of wicked men doth exceedingly strengthen and harden them in their wickedness. This proceedeth from infidelity, and a root of Atheism in their hearts, they cannot see afar off; or if they do, yet because evil seems far from them, therefore they go on securely, abusing the goodness and long-suffering of God unto presumption, which should have led them unto repentance, Rom. 2.4.

First, we here see that there is sentence pronounced against every wicked work, Isa. 3.10, 11.

Secondly, That the Lord is slow in putting that sentence in execution, being willing that men should repent, 2 Pet. 3.9.

3. That the sentence being pronounced, though it come slowly, yet it will come surely against ungodly men. It is every day nearer and nearer, and the longer it stays, the more heavy it will be. It comes with feet of wool, but it will strike with hands of lead, Gen. 6.3.

3. That the sentence being pronounced, though it come slowly, yet it will come surely against ungodly men. It is every day nearer and nearer, and the longer it stayes, the more heavy it will be. It comes with feet of wooll, but it will strike with hands of lead, Gen. 6.3.

4. That wicked men abuse Gods patience unto presumption, and because they see all well with them, do despise his threatenings to their own destruction, Isa. 5.19. Jer. 5.12. & 17.15. 2 Pet. 3.4. Ezek. 12.22. Psal. 55.19.

4. That wicked men abuse Gods patience unto presumption, and because they see all well with them, do despise his threatnings to their own destruction, Isa. 5.19. Jer. 5.12. & 17.15. 2 Pet. 3.4. Ezek. 12.22. Psal. 55.19.