Annotations on the book of Ecclesiastes

V. 2. All things come alike unto all: and there is one event, &c.] Some would have these words, and so forward to vers. 13. to be the perverse judgement of the flesh, and the voice of Atheists and Epicures upon the doctrine of providence before observed: But we must remember, that Solomon speaketh ⟨p. 280⟩only of outward things, and the different administration of them: and of the remedies of vanity and vexation, in regard of our condition here under the Sun, restraining and limiting all the confused events of worldly things by the holy hand and wise providence of God: And all the precepts which might otherwise seem to savour of Sensuality and Epicurism by the fear of God, and honest labour in our vocations: which things being premised, all that is here set down, doth well consist with the will of God, and the scope of Solomon in this book, which is to set down such rules de Tranquillitate animi, as may make a man comfortably to digest the vanities of this life, and sweetly to pass over the time of his pilgrimage here.

V. 2. All things come alike unto all: and there is one event, &c.] Some would have these words, and so forward to vers. 13. to be the perverse judgement of the flesh, and the voice of Atheists and Epicures upon the doctrine of providence before observed: But we must remember, that Solomon speaketh ⟨p. 280⟩only of outward things, and the different administration of them: and of the remedies of vanity and vexation, in regard of our condition here under the Sun, restraining and limiting all the confused events of worldly things by the holy hand and wise providence of God: And all the precepts which might otherwise seem to savour of Sensuality and Epicurisme by the fear of God, and honest labour in our vocations: which things being premised, all that is here set down, doth well consist with the will of God, and the scope of Solomon in this book, which is to set down such rules de Tranquillitate animi, as may make a man comfortably to digest the vanities of this life, and sweetly to pass over the time of his pilgrimage here.

All things come alike to All] Omnia sicut omnibus: So Symmachus, [Greek or Hebrew], All alike unto All. This is the reason why we cannot judge of love or hatred by outward things: for albeit good things are promised unto good men, and evil things threatened unto evil men; yet God doth so proceed in the execution of these promises and threatenings, as that faith only can discover the difference; all things outwardly, and to the eye of sense appearing alike to all: As if the Lord had subjected all things to the ⟨p. 281⟩domination of Fortune, rather than of Justice; and that the events of the world, were all rather casual and contingent, than either predetermined by the counsel, or governed by the providence of God.

All things come alike to All] Omnia sicut omnibus: So Symmachus, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, All alike unto All. This is the reason why we cannot judge of love or hatred by outward things: for albeit good things are promised unto good men, and evil things threatned unto evil men; yet God doth so proceed in the execution of these promises and threatnings, as that faith only can discover the difference; all things outwardly, and to the eye of sense appearing alike to all: As if the Lord had subjected all things to the ⟨p. 281⟩domination of Fortune, rather than of Justice; and that the events of the world, were all rather casual and contingent, than either predetermined by the counsel, or governed by the providence of God.

one event to the righteous and to the wicked, &c.] Moses dyes in the wilderness, as well as those that murmured. Josiah in the wars as well as Ahab. Is Abraham rich? so is Nabal: Is Solomon wise? so is Ahithophel: Is Joseph honoured by Pharaoh? so is Doeg by Saul. And usually, as to outward things, the advantage is on the side of the worst men, Ps. 73.12, 13. Mal. 3.15.

one event to the righteous and to the wicked, &c.] Moses dyes in the wilderness, as well as those that murmured. Josiah in the wars as well as Ahab. Is Abraham rich? so is Nabal: Is Solomon wise? so is Achitophel: Is Joseph honoured by Pharoah? so is Doeg by Saul. And usually, as to outward things, the advantage is on the side of the worst men, Ps. 73.12, 13. Mal. 3.15.

to the clean and unclean] Between whom great difference was to be made, Ezek. 22.26.

to him that sacrificeth, and him that sacrificeth not] That carefully observeth, or profanely neglecteth the worship of God; as we see in the examples of Jeroboam and Jehu.

to him that sacrificeth, and him that sacrificeth not] That carefully observeth, or prophanely neglecteth the worship of God; as we see in the examples of Jeroboam and Jehu.

as is the good, so is the sinner] The doubling of the prefix Caph, noteth an equal comparison, and absolute similitude between the things compared, Gen. 18.25. & 44.18. Isa. 24.2. 1 Reg. 22.4.

and he that sweareth] Namely, falsely or rashly, without truth, or judgement, or righteousness.

and he that sweareth] Namely, falsly or rashly, without truth, or judgement, or righteousness.

as he that feareth an oath] The character of a godly man, who doth so reverence the great name of God, Deut. 28.58. that by the fear thereof, he is kept from swearing rashly by it, and when he is called to swear, doth it with an awful regard towards that glorious and fearful Name.

V. 3. This is an evil amongst all things that are done, &c.] When I consider the course of providence, I found this to be one of the most grievous things which happeneth under the Sun, That all things, the same equal events, both in life & death, do happen not only to the just and the unjust, but even to the maddest and most desperate of sinners, who all their life long do give up themselves unto all excess of wickedness.

V. 3. This is an evil amongst all things that are done, &c.] When I consider the course of providence, I found this to be one of the most grievous things which hapneth under the Sun, That all things, the same equal events, both in life & death, do happen not only to the just and the unjust, but even to the maddest and most desperate of sinners, who all their life long do give up themselves unto all excess of wickedness.

This is an evil among all things] It is not evil in regard of God, who doth all in a most wise and holy manner: but evil, that is, grievous and troublesome unto man to behold, ⟨p. 283⟩a great temptation unto him to consider, that just and wise men should be exposed to the self-same miseries, with fools and ungodly.

an evil amongst all things] Or, above all other evils: So some render it, hoc pessimum, this is the worst of evils. As the Superlative is often expressed by an Adjective, governing an Ablative case with the Preposition Caph: Examples whereof, the Learned give in, 1 Sam. 17.12. Prov. 30.30. Cant. 1.8. Luke 1.28. Jer. 49.15.

yea also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, &c.] Yea also; That upon occasion hereof, when men see that it is all one, whether men be good or bad, as to any outward difference in things here below; they judge it vain to serve the Lord, they despise all threats, they undervalue all promises, they let loose the reins, and run headlong unto all kind of wickedness and madness, all sort of furious, headstrong and desperate excess, with boldness and presumption, See Chap. 8.11.

and after that they go to the dead] After a life spent in madness and sensuality, then they dye. Or, Their later end is to go to the dead: [Greek or Hebrew]; so Symmachus. Others, After that, (i.) Following their own ⟨p. 284⟩heart, running after their own lusts, they do at last fall into the pit. The end of all their madness is death, Rom. 6.21.

and after that they go to the dead] After a life spent in madness and sensuality, then they dye. Or, Their later end is to go to the dead: 〈non-Latin alphabet〉; so Symmachus. Others, After that, (i.) Following their own ⟨p. 284⟩heart, running after their own lusts, they do at last fall into the pit. The end of all their madness is death, Rom. 6.21.

V. 4. For to him that is joined to all the living, there is hope] In the written Text it is, Who shall be chosen? but the Masoreths direct the reading to be, instead of chosen, joined, by a transposition of the Original letter•. This correction some Learned men have conceived unnecessary. Some rendering it thus, For what or which shall be chosen? Thereby meaning, how difficult it is to resolve, which state or condition to choose, that of the living or of the dead. Yet quickly passing a judgement on the side of the living, in regard of the hope a man may have, while he lives, of bettering his condition. Others, annexing these words unto the last of the former verse, thus, After all mens madness, their end is to dye: Who shall be chosen out, or exempted from that common condition? Since therefore all men, without any choice or exemption, must dye, most miserable is the condition of those mad men, whose hearts are full of wickedness, even till death overtake them: For while men live, there is some ground of hope, but the mightiest of sinners, when once dead, are past hope, and ⟨p. 285⟩in a worse condition than the meanest men who are yet alive. Others, retaining the marginal reading, render it thus, by an interrogation, For who will be joined, to wit, with the dead? Who will choose a dead man for his companion, since that is, of all, the most hopeless condition? But this is a forced sense; herein therefore Interpreters do most agree, As for him that is joined to, or is a companion of the living, He hath hope. While life remains, what evils ever befall a man, he is in hope to break through, and to mend his condition: some good things however he doth yet enjoy: But, as to the good things of this world, after death there is no hope. Symmachus, whom the vulgar followeth, rendereth it thus, [Greek or Hebrew]; Who shall always continue alive? Unto such a man there would be hope. Pagnum & Montanus keep the reading in the Text, and render it thus, Whosoever is chosen unto, or amongst the living, unto him there is hope. The Septuagint renders it differently from all, [Greek or Hebrew]; Who is there that communicateth with, or towards all the living? They seem to follow, not the written Text, but the reading; and so by communicating, mean joining in fellowship with the living: ⟨p. 286⟩Who is there that shall have the society and communion of all the living? Surely none.

According to the sense of Symmachus, and Hierom. Marinus Brixianus offereth two other senses; 1. By reading the word actively, with a different punctation, thus, Whosoever chooseth any thing while he is yet alive, he hath hope to compass and to effect his desire. 2. By keeping to the written Text, in the passive sense, thus, Whosoever shall be chosen unto any life, or condition of life, he may therein have hope; which maketh a clear and a good sense. The Adjective, which we render, Living, being usually taken for the Substantive or abstract, to wit, for life; as Gen. 2.7. Ps. 21.4. Prov. 18.21. Ps. 63.3. I take it, the expression we find Isa. 4.3. may give light unto this place. Every one that is written among the living: To be chosen among the living, here; seems to be the same, with being written amongst the living, there. It is an allusion unto Cities, wherein there is a Matricula or Record kept of such as were Free-men: whereunto the Scripture seemeth to allude, Ps. 87.6. Ezek. 13.9. Heb. 12.23. Jer. 17.13. Luke 10.20. Ps. 4.3. For as the Elect are said to be written in the Book of life, Dan. 12.1. Ps. 69.28. Rev. 17.8. & 21.27