Annotations on the book of Ecclesiastes

V. 12. The words of a wise mans mouth are Gracious: But the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.] He here showeth, How the words of wise men are not only as a charm to prevent the biting of an enemy, but do further conciliate favour and grace.

V. 12. The words of a wise mans mouth are Gracious: But the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.] He here sheweth, How the words of wise men are not only as a charm to prevent the biting of an enemy, but do further conciliate favour and grace.

are Gracious] Heb. Grace. They are so comely and graceful in themselves, that they minister grace to others, Ephes. 4.29. Col. 4.6. and obtain grace and respect from them. As Abigail did not only appease the wrath of David, but did greatly draw his heart and love towards her, by her wise and gracious words. Prov. 10.32. & 15.1, 2, 4, 26. & 16.23.24.

are Gracious] Heb. Grace. They are so comely and graceful in themselves, that they minister grace to others, Ephes. 4.29. Col. 4.6. and obtain grace and respect from them. As Abigail did not onely appease the wrath of David, but did greatly draw his heart and love towards her, by her wise and gracious words. Prov. 10.32. & 15.1, 2, 4, 26. & 16.23.24.

But the lips of a fool will swallow up himself] Or, will destroy, and drown him, [Greek or Hebrew]; so the 70. the noun is plural, and the verb singular, which may be Emphatical, to note, that every one of his words do destroy: or do suddenly ruin, as a whale, or a grave, doth presently devour that which it swallows. ⟨p. 332⟩A foolish man by froward and disloyal speeches, lays snares against his ow• life, provokes so much wrath and displeasure as thereby utterly to undo, and, as it were▪ eat up himself, Prov. 19.28. Prov. 12.13 Rom. 3.13.

But the lips of a fool will swallow up himself] Or, will destroy, and drown him, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉; so the 70. the noun is plural, and the verb singular, which may be Emphatical, to note, that every one of his words do destroy: or do suddenly ruine, as a whale, or a grave, doth presently devour that which it swallowes. ⟨p. 332⟩A foolish man by froward and disloyal speeches, layes snares against his ow• life, provokes so much wrath and displeasure as thereby utterly to undo, and, as it were▪ eat up himself, Prov. 19.28. Prov. 12.13 Rom. 3.13.

V. 14. A fool also is full of words: A man cannot tell what shall be: and what shall be after him who can tell him] Besides the madness and folly of such a mans discourses, they are also many and endless. A wise man is contented with words enough to express his mind, he speaks always pertinently such things as may bring glory to God, and minister grace to the Hearers. He speaketh with choice & election, and therefore in measure and moderation. As the Orator gives this for the reason why learned men do not make so long and tedious Orations as others of weaker parts, quia doctis est electio & modus: They choose a few things out of many, and weigh their words before they utter them. Whereas fools pour out all that offers it self; verbis humidis & lapsantibus, in ore non in pectore natis de fluunt; as he said, Prov. 15.28. & 29.11. & 10.19. Eccles. 5.7. nature hath given a man but one tongue, and that well fenced in; but two ears, to teach us to be swift to hear and slow to speak, Jam. 1.19.

V. 14. A fool also is full of words: A man cannot tell what shall be: and what shall be after him who can tell him] Besides the madnesse and folly of such a mans discouses, they are also many and endlesse. A wise man is contented with words enough to expresse his mind, he speaks alwayes pertinently such things as may bring glory to God, and minister grace to the Hearers. He speaketh with choyce & election, and therefore in measure and moderation. As the Orator gives this for the reason why learned men do not make so long and tedious Orations as others of weaker parts, quia doctis est electio & modus: They choose a few things out of many, and weigh their words before they utter them. Whereas fooles pour out all that offers it self; verbis humidis & lapsantibus, in ore non in pectore natis de fluunt; as he said, Prov. 15.28. & 29.11. & 10.19.

a fool multiplieth words] Useth many boasting discourses, vainly reporteth his own undertakings ⟨p. 334⟩and purposes, brags what he will do, and what he shall have, as if all events were in his own power; whereas no man, much less a fool, can either tell himself, or understand by any other man, what shall be after him. There seemeth to be an Emphasis in the word, After him, He boasteth what he will do, whither he will go, what success he shall have, the next month, or the next year, when haply the next month or year may be After him, he may be cut off before it come, Psal 49.11, 18. Luke 12.19, 20. Jam. 4.13 — 16. Eccles. 3.22. & 6.12.

a fool multiplyeth words] Useth many boasting discourses, vainly reporteth his own undertakings ⟨p. 334⟩and purposes, brags what he will do, and what he shall have, as if all events were in his own power; whereas no man, much lesse a fool, can either tell himself, or understand by any other man, what shall be after him. There seemeth to be an Emphasis in the word, After him, He boasteth what he will do, whither he will go, what successe he shall have, the next moneth, or the next year, when haply the next moneth or year may be After him, he may be cut off before it come, Psal 49.11, 18. Luke 12.19, 20. Jam. 4.13 — 16. Eccles. 3.22. & 6.12.

The words may haply be a Mimesis, setting forth the humour of such a garrulous person, who saith, A man cannot tell what shall be after him; and then saith it over again, what shall be after him who can tell him? therefore let us indulge to our genius, eat and drink, and enjoy our pleasures while we have time to enjoy them. The former sense seemeth rightest.

V. 15. The labour of the fool wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the City.] Having showed the many attempts of foolish men, both in deeds and words, He here discovereth the vanity and fruitlessness of them all. All his boasting ⟨p. 335⟩projects and undertakings prove but labour in vain. As the Sodomites being smitten with blindness, wearied themselves to find out the door, which they could not get to, Gen. 19.11. He tyreth and wearieth out himself in matters which are most easy, and yet cannot overcome them: for even children can find out the way into a City when they are near unto it. Or, though he have not wit enough to keep a high rode, yet he will be wearying of himself in abstruser things, which are as difficult as to foresee future and contingent events: as in the former verse.

V. 15. The labour of the fool wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the City.] Having shewed the many attempts of foolish men, both in deeds and words, He here discovereth the vanity and fruitlesnesse of them all. All his boasting ⟨p. 335⟩projects and undertakings prove but labour in vain. As the Sodomites being smitten with blindnesse, wearied themselves to find out the door, which they could not get to, Gen. 19.11. He tyreth and wearieth out himself in matters which are most easie, and yet cannot overcome them: for even children can find out the way into a City when they are neer unto it. Or, though he have not wit enough to keep a high rode, yet he will be wearying of himself in abstruser things, which are as difficult as to foresee future and contingent events: as in the former verse.

The sense seemeth to be much like that, vers. 10. as there the fool puts to all his strength to cleave knotty wood with blunt tools, and all in vain; whereas a little wisdom to whet his Iron, would make his work both more easy, and more effectual: so here the fool, like an ignorant Traveller that hath m•ssed his way, goes up and down to little purpose, till he quite weary himself, and yet can never find the way into the City for want of skill, or a guide to direct him, which otherwise would have been most easily and speedily done. Where wisdom is wanting to direct our actions, labour will be endless, we shall sooner weary our selves, ⟨p. 336⟩then effect any thing by blind endeavours. If we understand the words in a civil sense consonantly to the other passages of the Chapter before, then those words, [because he knoweth not to go into the City] do signify the Ignorance of such a man to convers with men, or to behave himself wisely in civil or political relations: Whereas true wisdom is to understand our way, and to make strait paths for our feet to walk in, and to have the light shine on our ways, whatever relation we stand in, or whatever employment we are called unto, Prov. 14.8. Heb. 12.13. Psal. 5.8.

The sense seemeth to be much like that, vers. 10. as there the fool puts to all his strength to cleave knotty wood wtth blunt tooles, and all in vain; whereas a little wisdome to whet his Iron, would make his vvork both more easie, and more effectual: so here the fool, like an ignorant Traveller that hath m•ssed his way, goes up and down to little purpose, till he quite weary himself, and yet can never find the way into the City for want of skill, or a guide to direct him, which otherwise would have been most easily and speedily done. Where wisdome is wanting to direct our actions, labour will be endlesse, we shall sooner weary our selves, ⟨p. 336⟩then effect any thing by blind endeavours. If we understand the words in a civil sense consonantly to the other passages of the Chapter before, then those vvords, [because he knoweth not to go into the City] do signifie the Ignorance of such a man to convers with men, or to behave himself wisely in civil or political relations: Whereas true wisdome is to understand our way, and to make strait paths for our feet to walk in, and to have the light shine on our wayes, whatever relation we stand in, or whatever imployment we are called unto,

V. 16. Woe to thee, O Land, when thy King is a child, thy Princes eat in the morning.] The Wise man is not only careful to keep Subjects from rebellion and disloyalty, (which was the matter of the greatest part of the Chapter before,) but also to mind Princes of their duty, that they be not wilful, sensual, tyrannous, but that they manage their office with nobleness of spirit, with temperance, and industry, and that by a most mighty argument, because They cannot be good or bad to themselves alone, multitudes are concerned in it, and the weal or woe of whole nations doth depend upon it. A wicked Prince is a great argument of Divine displeasure ⟨p. 337⟩against a whole people, 1 Sam, 8.6— 18. Isa. 19.4. Job 34.30. Prov. 28.2. And a good Prince an argument of his Love, and that he intendeth to bless such a Nation, 1 Reg. 10.9.

V. 16. Wo to thee, O Land, when thy King is a child, thy Princes eat in the morning.] The Wise man is not onely careful to keep Subjects from rebellion and disloyalty, (which was the matter of the greatest part of the Chapter before,) but also to mind Princes of their duty, that they be not wilful, sensual, tyrannous, but that they manage their office with noblenesse of spirit, with temperance, and industry, and that by a most mighty argument, because They cannot be good or bad to themselves alone, multitudes are concerned in it, and the weal or woe of whole nations doth depend upon it. A wicked Prince is a great argument of Divine displeasure ⟨p. 337⟩against a whole people, 1 Sam, 8.6— 18. Isa. 19.4. Job 34.30. Prov. 28.2. And a good Prince an argument of his Love, and that he intendeth to blesse such a Nation, 1 Reg. 10.9.

when thy King is a child] He meaneth not so much in age; for many have in their tender years, by the fear of God, and the help of prudent Counsellors governed their people aright, and some of them much better then afterwards, 1 Reg. 3.7—12. compared with 1 Reg. 11.4. 2 Chr. 24.2, 3, 17. & 25.1, 2, 14, 27, & 26.3, 4, 5, 16. But in understanding, in experience, in manners, when a man childishly suffereth the affairs of a Kingdom to be turned upside down, to be broken to pieces by his carelessness, and through want of prudence & skill to discern between right and wrong, Ephes. 4.14 Heb. 5.13. Isa. 3.4. 1. Cor. 14.20. Such a child was Rehoboam in the strength of his age, A child of one and forty years old, 1 Reg. 14.21, 2 Chron. 13.7. when a man is, 1. Ignorant or forgetful of his duty.

when thy King is a child] He meaneth not so much in age; for many have in their tender years, by the fear of God, and the help of prudent Counsellors governed their people aright, and some of them much better then afterwards, 1 Reg. 3.7—12. compared with 1 Reg. 11.4. 2 Chr. 24.2, 3, 17. & 25.1, 2, 14, 27, & 26.3, 4, 5, 16. But in understanding, in experience, in manners, when a man childishly suffereth the affaires of a Kingdome to be turned upside down, to be broken to peices by his carelesnesse, and through want of prudence & skill to discern between right and wrong,

2. Changeable and easily turned out of it with every persuasion.

2. Changeable and easily turned out of it with every perswasion.

3. Passionate, easily angry, and fearful, and accordingly alterable upon such sudden impressions.

4. Sensual, and given unto vain delights.

5. Craving and covetous, and so easily turned aside by gifts.

6. Vain and subject to be flattered by those who know how to make a prey of him.