Annotations on the book of Ecclesiastes

V. 3. Yea also when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, &c.] Not only in his private actions and undertakings, but in his open conversation amongst men, in his motions, gestures, behaviour, gate, countenance, usual deportment, he is destitute of prudence and common discretion, and bewrayeth the folly of his heart, by the affected fondness of his conversation.

V. 3. Yea also when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdome faileth him, &c.] Not onely in his private actions and undertakings, but in his open conversation amongst men, in his motions, gestures, behaviour, gate, countenance, usual deportment, he is destitute of prudence and common discretion, and bewrayeth the folly of his heart, by the affected fondness of his conversation.

and he saith to every one, that he is a fool] The Septuagint render it, [Greek or Hebrew], whatsoever he thinketh on is folly. Symmachus in Hierom, He suspecteth of all men that they are fools. Whereunto the Vulgar answereth, Cum ipse insipiens sit, omnes stultos aestimat, being a fool himself, he accounteth all other men fools: as to him that hath the Jaundice every thing ⟨p. 316⟩seemeth yellow; and to him that hath a distempered palate, every sweet thing •asteth bitter; to him that hath a vertiginous brain, every fixed thing seemeth to turn round; so to a man made up of pride and folly, other men much wiser then himself do appear fools. The Chaldee rendereth it, All men say that he is a fool. But the most emphatical is as we read it, He saith to All men, That he is a fool: He doth so palpably discover, and as it were proclaim his own folly, by his gestures and behaviour, as if he would himself tell them that he is a fool, Prov. 6.13. & 12.23. & 13.6. & 18.2. Jude vers. 13.

and he saith to every one, that he is a fool] The Septuagint render it, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, whatsoever he thinketh on is folly. Symmachus in Hierom, He suspecteth of all men that they are fooles. Whereunto the Vulgar answereth, Cum ipse insipiens sit, omnes stultos aestimat, being a fool himself, he accompteth all other men fools: as to him that hath the Jaundies every thing ⟨p. 316⟩seemeth yellow; and to him that hath a distempered palate, every sweet thing •asteth bitter; to him that hath a vertiginous brain, every fixed thing seemeth to turn round; so to a man made up of pride and folly, other men much wiser then himself do appear fools. The Chaldee rendreth it, All men say that he is a fool. But the most emphatical is as we read it, He saith to All men, That he is a fool: He doth so palpably discover, and as it were proclaim his own folly, by his gestures and behaviour, as if he would himself tell them that he is a fool,

V. 4. If the spirit of the Ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place] Here he showeth the excellent use of wisdom in ordering our conversation towards Superiors, teaching us to bridle all disloyal passions, to restrain all unlawful attempts, to keep our selves in the same even and unmoved temper, whatever provocations we meet with to the contrary.

V. 4. If the spirit of the Ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place] Here he sheweth the excellent use of wisdome in ordering our conversation towards Superiours, teaching us to bridle all disloyal passions, to restrain all unlawful attempts, to keep our selves in the same eaven and unmoved temper, whatever provocations we meet with to the contrary.

as Israel to their Tents, 1 Reg. 12.16. He requireth us for conscience towards God, to suffer wrongfully, and to be subject even to those that are froward, and injurious, 1 Pe•. 2.18, 19. Not to violate our Allegiance, nor to attempt any conspiracy against them, but only in our sufferings, to make our prayers and complaints known unto God, who is a Judge between them and us, and is able to ⟨p. 319⟩vindicate our innocency, and to deliver us out of their hands. Every man must keep his station, as Soldiers in an Army are to stay in their own rank, 1 Cor. 7.20, 21. A man cannot expect to have Gods blessing any where, but in his own place. His promises and protection are annexed unto our duty, Psal. 91.11. 2 Chron. 15.2. This was the sin of the Ten Tribes against the house of David, Hos. 8.4. and of Absalom and Sheba against David himself, 2 Sam. 15.10. and 20.1.

as Israel to their Tents, 1 Reg. 12.16. He requireth us for conscience towards God, to suffer wrongfully, and to be subject even to those that are froward, and injurious, 1 Pe•. 2.18, 19. Not to violate our Allegiance, nor to attempt any conspiracy against them, but onely in our sufferings, to make our prayers and complaints known unto God, who is a Judge between them and us, and is able to ⟨p. 319⟩vindicate our innocency, and to deliver us out of their hands. Every man must keep his station, as Souldiers in an Army are to stay in their own rank, 1 Cor. 7.20, 21. A man cannot expect to have Gods blessing any where, but in his own place. His promises and protection are annexed unto our duty,

for yielding pacifieth great offences] This is a reason ab utili, to persuade unto the duty. For whereas a man might haply conceive, that the wrath of a King is implacable, and their lost love unreconcilable again, and that therefore their case being desperate, a man were as good give over duty, as perish under it: He showeth, that by submission and lenity of spirit, a man may not only recover the favour, but prevent and preserve his Prince from many offences. Some render the wo•ds vir sanans, an healer, pacifieth great offences; and so the Septuagint, [Greek or Hebrew]: He that by gentle behaviour, seeketh to heal the wound and breach between him and his Sovereign, shall pacify great offences. Or, as a man in a course of Physic, will abstain ⟨p. 320⟩from those things which are hurtful unto him: so a wise man will leave off all those sins, whereby the anger of the Ruler may be stirred up against him. Wisdom is of an healing nature, Prov. 12.18. & 16.24. as we see in the carriage of Abigail to David, 1 Sam. 25. and of the Woman of Abel to Joab, 2 Sam. 20. others rendering it by mollities or remissio, yielding▪ or fainting, give a double sense of it; First, That a mans yielding to temptations and passions of disloyalty, doth cause many offences to rest on him, doth bring with it many other sins, through fainting in the day of adversity, Prov. 24.10. Secondly, that yielding for a while unto the tempest, doth break the force of it, and cause the heart of a man to relent and to melt towards those, who do with calmness and humility endeavour to divert it, Prov. 15.1. & 25.15. As a tempest which breaketh strong Oaks that resist it, doth no hurt unto the weak Corn which yields unto it: Or as Wool or mud, doth more abate the force of a Canon bullet, then walls of stone that stand stubbornly against it. See

V. 5, 6. There is an evil which I have s••n under the Sun, as an error which proceedeth ⟨p. 321⟩from the Ruler, &c.] Here is intimated another cause of defection and rebellion against Princes, namely, misgovernment, when through their error and inadvertency, unworthy persons are exalted, and men of eminency and desert depressed.

V. 5, 6. There is an evil which I have s••n under the Sun, as an errour which proceedeth ⟨p. 321⟩from the Ruler, &c.] Here is intimated another cause of defection and rebellion against Princes, namely, misgovernment, when through their errour and inadvertency, unworthy persons are exalted, and men of eminency and desert depressed.

There is an evil] Another evil, or a common evil; an evil under the Sun, in humane affairs.

as an error] Which is indeed an error: It is here Caph veritatis, not a note of comparison, or similitude, but of truth; as Judg. 13.23. Neh. 7.2. Hos. 4.4. & 5.10. Luke 22.44. By error, is noted a fault committed ignorantly and through inadvertency; as Levit. 4.2. Numb. 15.24. Whereby we are taught to put the fairest construction upon the faults of Superiors, in the case of misgovernment; it being so easy a thing for them, who must see much with other mens eyes, and cannot possibly have a clear knowledge of the worth of all persons whom they advance, but may easily be carried into mistakes by the flatteries, or plausible pretences of those that serve them, to be deceived in their opinions, of the fitness of persons for those places of trust, wherein they do employ them.

as an errour] Which is indeed an errour: It is here Caph veritatis, not a note of comparison, or similitude, but of truth; as Judg. 13.23. Neh. 7.2. Hos. 4.4. & 5.10. Luke 22.44. By errour, is noted a fault committed ignorantly and through inadvertency; as Levit. 4.2. Numb. 15.24. Whereby we are taught to put the fairest construction upon the faults of Superiours, in the case of misgovernment; it being so easie a thing for them, who must see much with other mens eyes, and cannot possibly have a clear knowledg of the worth of all persons whom they advance, but may easily be carried into mistakes by the flatteries, or plausible pretences of those that serve them, to be deceived in their opinions, of the fitnesse of persons for those places of trust, wherein they do imploy them.

Folly is set in great dignity; and the rich sit in low places] Fools are very highly advanced: ⟨p. 322⟩The abstract for the concrete, to denote men extremely foolish and wicked; as Psal. 5.9. 1 Cor. 2.14. Phil. 3.2. Cant. 5.16. This is matter of much grief and trouble to good men, when power is put into the hands of men, as Vice-gerents for God, who yet will use it all against him. When the great interests of States and Churches, shall be entrusted in the hands of those, who have neither skill nor hearts to promote the good of them, Psal. 12.8. Prov. 28.28. & 29.2. Esth. 3.1—15. This the Lord is often pleased in his providence to permit, sometimes for the punishment of a wicked people, Job 34 30. Isa. 19.4. Hos. 13.11. Zach. 11.6. Prov. 28.2. Judg. 9.23, 24. and sometimes for the trial of his faithful servants, and to stir up in them earnest prayer for those who are in authority, that according to their duty they may be friends to those that are pure of heart, 1 Tim. 2.1, 2. Prov 22.11.

and the rich sit in low place] This is to be understood in opposition to the former; and so by rich is meant, men of noble endowments for wisdom and goodness, Psal. 45.12. To sit in low place, or in an abject and despised condition, is noted here as a posture ⟨p. 323⟩of mourning and great sorrow; as Jer. 13.18. Humble your selves, or make your selves low, sit. So Isai. 47.1. Ezek. 26.16.

and the rich sit in low place] This is to be understood in opposition to the former; and so by rich is meant, men of noble endowments for wisdom and goodnesse, Psal. 45.12. To sit in low place, or in an abject and despised condition, is noted here as a posture ⟨p. 323⟩of mourning and great sorrow; as Jer. 13.18. Humble your selves, or make your selves low, sit. So Isai. 47.1. Ezek. 26.16.

V. 7. I have seen servants upon horses, and Princes walking as servants upon the earth] By servants, he meaneth men of a low and base condition, fitter to be the tail then the head, Gen. 9.27. Lam. 5.8. which is a thing extremely preposterous and absurd, when servants do bear rule, men of slavish condition are advanced above those that are free, noble, and pious, Prov. 19.10. & 30.21, 22. Deut. 28.43, 44.

V. 7. I have seen servants upon horses, and Princes walking as servants upon the earth] By servants, he meaneth men of a low and base condition, fitter to be the tail then the head, Gen. 9.27. Lam. 5.8. which is a thing extreamly preposterous and absurd, when servants do bear rule, men of slavish condition are advanced above those that are free, noble, and pious, Prov. 19.10. & 30.21, 22. Deut. 28.43, 44.

upon horses] This is a note of honour and dignity, Esth. 6.8, 9. Jer. 17.25. Ezek. 23.23. Hereby he meaneth, That abject and vile persons, who ought to be under government, were exalted unto the Throne, and unto places of trust and honour. Such an one was Athenion in Greece, who of a poor and mean person, grew up to be a proud and potent tyrant; laid aside wise Counsellors, spoiled Temples and Cities, wasted men of their estates, and filled pits with treasure; as Athenaeus, lib. 5. reporteth. And the like, Zenophon relateth, lib. 2. Hellenic [Greek or Hebrew]

upon horses] This is a note of honour and dignity, Esth. 6.8, 9. Jer. 17.25. Ezek. 23.23. Hereby he meaneth, That abject and vile persons, who ought to be under government, were exalted unto the Throne, and unto places of trust and honour. Such an one was Athenion in Greece, who of a poor and mean person, grew up to be a proud and potent tyrant; laid aside wise Counsellors, spoiled Temples and Cities, wasted men of their estates, and filled pits with treasure; as Athenaeus, lib. 5. reporteth. And the like, Zenophon relateth, lib. 2. Hellenic 〈non-Latin alphabet〉

and Princes walking as servants upon the earth] As David seemeth to have walked ⟨p. 324⟩when he fled from Absalom, 2 Sam. 15.30.

and Princes walking as servants upon the earth] As David seemeth to have walked ⟨p. 324⟩when he fled from Absolom, 2 Sam. 15.30.

V. 8, 9. He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it, and who so breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. Who so removeth stones, shall be hurt therewith: and he that cleaveth wood, shall be endangered thereby] These are four Proverbial similitudes, tending all unto one end, viz. to show, that evil usually returneth on the heads of those who were authors of it; [Greek or Hebrew]. Psal. 7.15, 16. & 9.15, 16. Job 5.13. Prov. 11.5, 6. & 26.27. Esth. 7.10. 2 Sam. 17.23. Exod. 14.28. & 18.11. Obad. ver. 15. Isa. 33.1. Judg. 1.6, 7. Quod quisque ••lieno excogitavit supplicio, excipit suo. He that made the fetters for another, doth many times wear them himself.

V. 8, 9. He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it, and who so breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. Who so removeth stones, shall be hurt therewith: and he that cleaveth wood, shall be endangered thereby] These are four Proverbial similitudes, tending all unto one end, viz. to shew, that evil usually returneth on the heads of those who were authors of it; 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Psal. 7.15, 16. & 9.15, 16

The application of this general, in the present case, is, First, against Princes, who do so advance unworthy men, and depress the well deserving; such disorders in Government do, many times, redound unto their own sufferings, and while they oppress the people, they do supplant their own Thrones, Prov. 16.12. & 25.5. 2 Reg. 8.8.15.

The application of this general, in the present case, is, First, against Princes, who do so advance unworthy men, and depresse the well deserving; such disorders in Government do, many times, redound unto their own sufferings, and while they oppress the people, they do supplant their own Thrones, Prov. 16.12. & 25.5. 2 Reg. 8.8.15.