Annotations on the book of Ecclesiastes

7. The more men abound with worldly things, the looser should they keep their hearts from them, and the more should they study the vanity of them, lest otherwise they steal away their hearts from God, Psal. 62.10.

8. The dignity, wisdom, piety of a people being duly considered, doth whet and add vigour to the studies and cares of those who are set over them for their good, 2 Reg. 3.8, 5. Mar. 6.5, 6.

8. The dignity, wisdome, piety of a people being duly considered, doth whet and add vigour to the studies and cares of those who are set over them for their good, 2 Reg. 3.8, 5. Mar. 6.5, 6.

9. We should improve the benefit of places and persons amongst whom we converse, to fit our selves thereby for the service of the Church. It is not only a comfort, but a furtherance unto wise and learned men, to live in places where wisdom and learning is professed, Act. 1.4.

11. Here are the right principles of successful diligence in our places; 1. A willing heart, when a man goes about his work with all his strength, Eccles. 9.10. 2. Attendance on the Call of God, and for that reason submitting unto travel and pains, Act. 26.19. Gal. 1.15. 3. Stirring up the gifts which God hath given us as furtherances unto duty, 2. Tim. 1.6. 4. Exquisite inspection into the businesses about which we are employed, that we may not through our own negligence come behind in any gift, 1 Cor. 13.31. & 14.12.

11. Here are the right principles of successfull diligence in our places; 1. A willing heart, when a man goes about his work with all his strength, Eccles. 9.10. 2. Attendance on the Call of God, and for that reason submitting unto travel and pains, Act. 26.19. Gal. 1.15. 3. Stirring up the gifts which God hath given us as furtherances unto duty, 2. Tim. 1.6. 4. Exquisite inspection into the businesses about which we are imployed, that we may not through our own negligence come behind in any gift, 1 Cor. 13.31. & 14.12.

12. It is the will of God, that even our honourable and our necessary employments should be accompanied with sore travel, that we may be kept humble in our selves, weaned from the creature, and made the more thankful for any assistance the Lord giveth us in our Labours, and for any blessing upon them, Job. 5.7. Gen. 3.19.

12. It is the will of God, that even our honourable and our necessary imployments should be accompanied with sore travel, that we may be kept humble in our selves, weaned from the creature, and made the more thankfull for any assistance the Lord giveth us in our Labours, and for any blessing upon them, Job. 5.7. Gen. 3.19.

13. The study of the Creatures is of excellent use to lead us to the knowledge of the Creator, Rom. 1.19. Ps. 111.2.

V. 14. I have seen all the works that are done under the Sun, and behold all is vanity ⟨p. 40⟩and vexation of spirit.] The former words showed the exactness of Solomons search into natural and humane things. That it was the labour of an aged Convert, (for Solomon was drawn away from God in his old age, 1 Reg. 11.4.) of a wise King, furnished with all Helps for such an inquiry: That it was an accurate and deep search, not loose or superficial. That it was undertaken with great impulsion of heart, and with a special Call of God: and now after all this, he concludes,

V. 14. I have seen all the works that are done under the Sun, and behold all is vanity ⟨p. 40⟩and vexation of spirit.] The former words shewed the exactness of Solomons search into natural and humane things. That it was the labour of an aged Convert, (for Solomon was drawn away from God in his old age, 1 Reg. 11.4.) of a wise King, furnished with all Helps for such an inquiry: That it was an accurate and deep search, not loose or superficial. That it was undertaken with great impulsion of heart, and with a special Call of God: and now after all this, he concludes,

1. That he had seen] That is, diligently heeded, and fully understood, as to the issue of this inquiry, all the works done under the Sun, Exod. 3.3. Eccles. 2.13, 14.

all the things] That is, the several kinds of them, 1 Reg. 4.33. He had gotten as large and as intuitive a knowledge as humane curiosity or industry, with all manner of furtherances could attain unto. Which appears not to be an arrogant boast, but a true account of the fruit of his studies, the Holy Ghost testifying the same thing of him, 1 Reg. 4. 29—34. & 10.23.

2. That he found all to be vanity and vexation of spirit.] Not only vain and ineffectual to confer Happiness, but which is worse, apt to bring much affliction and trouble upon the heart of him who is too earnestly ⟨p. 41⟩conversant about them. From several original Roots, there are by Interpreters given several explications of this word, Evil, or Affliction of Spirit. Breach, contrition, torment of Spirit; feeding upon, or consuming of the spirit; or vanity and feeding upon wind, as fruitless labour is expressed, Hos. 12.1. 1 Cor. 9.26. Thus he applies his general conclusion particularly unto all kind of knowledge, Natural and Moral. There is sore travel in the getting, danger of forgetting it again, discovery thereby of more Ignorance then a man observed in himself before▪ insufficiency and impossibility of perfecting the understanding, and satiating the desires thereof. Such and many other Considerations make Knowledge it self, as to the procuring of true Happiness, altogether Vain.

2. That he found all to be vanity and vexation of spirit.] Not only vain and ineffectual to confer Happiness, but which is worse, apt to bring much affliction and tro•ble upon the heart of him who is too earnestly ⟨p. 41⟩conversant about them. From several original Roots, there are by Interpreters given several explications of this word, Evil, or Affliction of Spirit. Breach, contrition, torment of Spirit; feeding upon, or consuming of the spirit; or vanity and feeding upon wind, as fruitless labour is expressed, Hos. 12.1. 1 Cor. 9.26. Thus he applyes his general conclusion particularly unto all kind of knowledge, Natural and Moral. There is sore travel in the getting, danger of forgeting it again, discovery thereby of more Ignorance then a man observed in himself before▪ insufficiency and impossibility of perfecting the understanding, and satiating the desires thereof. Such and many other Considerations make Knowledge it self, as to the procuring of true Happiness, altogether Vain.

V. 15. That which is crooked cannot be made strait] This is the Reason of the vanity of Knowledge, because it cannot rectify any thing in us which is amiss, nor supply any thing which we want to make us happy, Eccles. 7.13. The wisest and wealthiest King with all his power and knowledge was not able to remedy all the evils which he saw, or to supply all the defects which he could discover.

V. 15. That which is crooked cannot be made strait] This is the Reason of the vanity of Knowledge, because it cannot rectifie any thing in us which is amiss, nor supply any thing which we want to make us happy, Eccles. 7.13. The wisest and wealthiest King with all his power and knowledge was not able to remedy all the evils which he saw, or to supply all the defects which he could discover.

The words may be understood two ways; 1. In relation to Knowledge it self, to show ⟨p. 42⟩the vanity and vexation thereof: For, 1. Much of it is exceeding tortuous, intricate, and abstruse, there are many knots and difficulties, Dan. 5.12. So it cannot be clearly and plainly demonstrated, but in the inquiries thereinto the mind will be left dark and unsatisfied; there are [Greek or Hebrew], not only in the Scripture, 2 Pet. 3.16. but in the book of nature too, Job. 28.20, 21. & 37.14, 15, 16. & 38.16-23.2. the defects of this kind are innumerable, the things which a man knoweth not, are infinitely more then those which he knoweth, Job 11.6.—9.

The words may be understood two wayes; 1. In relation to Knowledge it self, to shew ⟨p. 42⟩the vanity and vexation thereof: For, 1. Much of it is exceeding tortuous, intricate, and abstruse, there are many knots and difficulties, Dan. 5.12. So it cannot be clearly and plainly demo•strated, but in the inquiries thereinto the mind will be left dark and unsatisfied; there are 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, not only in the Scripture, 2 Pet. 3.16. but in the book of nature too, Job. 28.20, 21. & 37.14, 15, 16. & 38.16-23

2. In relation unto the efficacy of knowledge. The heart and life of man is naturally crooked and perverse, very tortuous, wicked, and deceitful, Jer. 17.9. Psal. 12▪5.5. and it is exceeding defective both in principles, and in power to do good as it ought, Rom. 3.23. 2. Cor. 3.5. Now all the most exquisite natural knowledge is not able to rectify these things, either to restore man to his original integrity, or supply his manifold defects. Such knowledge will puff up, 1. Cor. 8.1. but it will not sanctify, Rom. 1. 20, 21, 32. Jude. vers. 20. The Lord indeed by his grace and spirit doth both, Luk. 3.5. Psal. 84.11. 1 Thess. 3.10. Eph. 3.19. 1 Cor. 1.5. but no natural or acquired knowledge is able to do it.

2. In relation unto the efficacy of knowledge. The heart and life of man is naturally crooked and perverse, very tortuous, wicked, and deceitfull, Jer. 17.9. Psal. 12▪5.5. and it is exceeding defective both in principles, and in power to do good as it ought,

3. As it cannot rectify that which is amiss in man, so neither in any other thing. Sin hath brought much disorder, corruption, confusion upon the whole Creation, Rom. 8.20. infinite are the defects and failings every where. And none of this can all the wisdom of man be able to correct, but he must still leave it as he found it, vain and imperfect. So it will be till the time of the restitution of all things, when God will make a new earth and a new heaven, and deliver the Creature from the bondage of corruption, into a glorious liberty, Act. 1.21. 2 Pet. 3.13. And all this he affirms of the most excellent natural knowledge; how much more vain and unprofitable are the perverse and impertinent studies of many men, which have nothing of solidity or usefulness in them, Col. 2.8. 1 Tim. 6.4, 5. Rom. 1.22. 1 Cor. 1.20.

3. As it cannot rectifie that which is amiss in man, so neither in any other thing. Sin hath brought much disorder, corruption, confusion upon the whole Creation, Rom. 8.20. infinite are the defects and failings every where. And none of this can all the wisdom of man be able to correct, but he must still leave it as he found it, vain and imperfect. So it will be till the time of the restitution of all things, when God will make a new earth and a new heaven, and deliver the Creature from the bondage of corruption, into a glorious liberty, Act. 1.21. 2 Pet. 3.13. And all this he affirms of the most excellent natural knowledge; how much more vain and unprofitable are the perverse and impertinent studies of many men, which have nothing of solidity or usefullness in them,

V. 16, 17. I communed with mine own, &c.] This is a Prolepsis wherein he meeteth with an objection, viz. That the knowledge of the creatures might make a man happy, though he had not attained unto it, not for any defect in them, but in the narrowness of his own understanding. To which he answereth, That if any man could have found it out in them, he should, in regard of the greatness of his parts, and exquisite industry; as Chap. 2.12.