Annotations on the book of Ecclesiastes

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.

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

These and such like impotencies, argue childishness in one that Governs. The wise man instanceth in one principal of these, viz. Sensuality, in the next words.

These and such like impotencies, argue childishnesse in one that Governs. The wise man instanceth in one principal of these, viz. Sensuality, in the next words.

And thy Princes eat in the morning] Though the King be a child, yet if he have prudent and vigilant Counsellors their care may recompense and supply his defects▪ but where they likewise be as bad as he▪ Prov. 29.12. where all other ministers of State follow only their private gain and pleasure, without any regard unto public welfare, no wonder if such a Nation have a woe hang over it.

And thy Princes eat in the morning] Though the King be a child, yet if he have prudent and vigilant Counsellours their care may recompence and supply his defects▪ but where they likewise be as bad as he▪ Prov. 29.12. where all other ministers of State follow onely their private gain and pleasure, without any regard unto publick welfare, no wonder if such a Nation have a wo hang over it.

eat in the morning] Are riotous, luxurious, spend their whole time in sleep, and excess▪ Rise not up unto service, but unto delights, consecrate the flower and best of their time (which should have been given to God, and to the public) to their own vanity and riot Jer. 21.12. Isa. 5.11, 12. Hos. 7.3, 4, 5, 6▪ Act. 2.15. Prov. 31.4, This is matter o• patience unto the afflicted people, whe• ⟨p. 339⟩they consider, that God doth thus reprove Kings for their sake, Psal. 105.14.

eat in the moring] Are riotous, luxurious, spend their whole time in sleep, and excesse▪ Rise not up unto service, but unto delights, consecrate the flower and best of their time (which should have been given to God, and to the publick) to their own vanity and riot Jer. 21.12. Isa. 5.11, 12. Hos. 7.3, 4, 5, 6▪ Act. 2.15. Prov. 31.4, This is matter o• patience unto the affl•cted people, vvhe

V. 17. Blessed art thou, O Land, when thy King is the son of nobles; and thy Princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness.] The son of nobles, that is, men trained up, instructed, and shaped with principles of true Nobility, wisdom, and holiness. As a son of death, of perdition, of wrath, is one devoted thereunto: so a son of nobles, is one nobly seasoned with principles of honour and Government. As sons of God, Gen. 6.2. men bred in the Church of God, and under a godly Education; sons of the Prophets: sons of Physicians, men bred in such professions.

V. 17. Blessed art thou, O Land, when thy King is the son of nobles; and thy Princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkennesse.] The son of nobles, that is, men trained up, instructed, and shaped with principles of true Nobility, wisdome, and holiness. As a son of death, of perdition, of wrath, is one devoted thereunto: so a son of nobles, is one nobly seasoned with principles of honour and Government. As sons of God, Gen. 6.2. men bred in the Church of God, and under a godly Education; sons of the Prophets: sons of Physitians, men bred in such professions.

of nobles] From a word which signifieth whiteness, either because persons of honour did use to wear white raiments, Esther 8.15. Rev. 3.4. sit in white thrones, Rev. 20.11. ride on white asses, Judg. 5.10. or to denote the purity of manners which should be in Rulers, that they might be examples of all integrity unto others, Rev. 19.8. By sons of nobles, then, he doth not understand men barely born of noble Parents, and who have noble blood in their veins, (such an ⟨p. 340⟩one likely might the child be of whom he spake in the former verse) but as there he meant a child not in years, but in manners and qualities: (as the words Presbyter, Elder, Ancient, in the Scripture use, do not so much signify age, as wisdom, and authority,) so here he meaneth one noble as well in virtue, as in blood and birth. This is the true nobility, when piety, wisdom, righteousness, courage, and the fear of God, do adorn the royal blood, and render persons truly illustrious, and not dark and obscure creatures, as mean persons are, Prov. 22.29, Deut. 1.13. Exod. 18.21. nobility of blood, without nobility of virtue and holiness, addeth nothing to a Govenou• at all, Psal. 16.3. & 47.9. & 87.3, 4, 5.6. & 110.3. Act. 17.11

and thy Princes eat in due season] In the time of eating, after they have spent their strength in duty: As to every thing there is a fit time, Eccles. 3.1. so to this particular of eating and drinking, Psal. 145.15. Matth. 24.45. Labour and service should go before eating, Luk, 12.35, 37. & 17.7, 8, 9. Abraham's servant would not eat till he had done his business, Gen. 24.33. and our Saviour preferred his own Fathers work before his own Refection, Joh. 4.31, 32. ⟨p. 341⟩Sometimes even wicked men have been so intent on their wickedness, as to deny liberty of eating, drinking, and other refreshments, to themselves, till their designs were to be accomplished, Act. 23.12. Prov. 4.16. and so we find Magistrates so serious in duty, as to forbear eating, and to forbid it even sometimes when it was necessary, Ezra 10.6. 1 Sam. 14.23. Temperance is in no calling more requisite, then in the Calling of a Magistrate, Prov. 31.4. Multitudes of businesses, and those of greatest importment, and such as do often require immediate consultation and dispatch, (and such are many times the affairs of States) will not allow liberty of eating and drinking, all delights must be laid aside to attend them. Exod. 12.34.39. It was wickedly done by the King and Haman to sit down to drink when the City was in perplexity, Ester. 3.15

for strength, and not for drunkenness] The end of eating, is to repair that strength which had been weakened in duty, and so to enable unto the attendance upon duty again. It ought not to be the end of our living, but only a necessary means unto life, and unto the services thereof.

for strength, and not for drunkennesse] The end of eating, is to repaire that strength which had been weakened in duty, and so to enable unto the attendance upon duty again. It ought not to be the end of our liing, but onely a necessary means unto life, and unto the services thereof.

And therefore Gluttony and Drunkenness are to be avoided, as by all men, because of many other evils which are in them, so in special manner by Princes & Rulers, because they do totally indispose for such weighty affairs as are to be managed by wisdom and counsel, Isa. 28.1. Hos. 4.11. & 7.5.

And therefore Gluttony and Drunkenesse are to be avoyded, as by all men, because of many other evils which are in them, so in special manner by Princes & Rulers, because they do totally indispose for such weighty affaires as are to be managed by wisdome and counsel, Isa. 28.1. Hos. 4.11. & 7.5.

V. 18. By much slothfulness the building decayeth: and through idleness of the hands, the house droppeth through.] This is a proverbial form of speech, and appliable unto all kind of businesses, showing the danger of idleness and procrastination in them. And it is here used as an illustration of what he had said vers. 16. to set forth the misery of a Land under childish and careless Government, by a Comparison drawn from the lesser to the greater, from an house to a State; for as an house being exposed to wind and weather, will in time drop through, and so endanger the rotting of the Timber, and the ruin of the whole, if the owner thereof do not by timely repairs prevent such a mischief: so the Common-wealth, being exposed to various dangers, from the subtlety and hostility of enemies abroad, and from the rebellion, sedition, and various discontents ⟨p. 343⟩of ill-affected people within it self, will be continually in danger of dissolution, if Governors, who should be the Healers, Repairers, and Builders thereof, be not exceeding vigilant upon its preservation and safety: which if he be, he will have little time left for luxury and intemperance.

V. 18. By much slothfulnesse the building decayeth: and through idlenesse of the hands, the house droppeth thorow.] This is a proverbial form of speech, and appliable unto all kind of businesses, shewing the danger of idlenesse and procrastination in them. And it is here used as an illustration of what he had said vers. 16. to set forth the misery of a Land under childish and carelesse Government, by a Comparison drawn from the lesser to the greater, from an house to a State; for as an house being exposed to wind and weather, will in time drop thorow, and so endanger the rotting of the Timber, and the ruine of the whole, if the owner thereof do not by timely repairs prevent such a mischief: so the Common-wealth, being exposed to various dangers, from the subtilty and hostility of enemies abroad, and from the rebellion, sedition, and various discontents ⟨p. 343⟩of ill-affected people within it self, will be continually in danger of dissolution, if Governours, who should be the Healers, Repairers, and Builders thereof, be not exceeding vigilant upon its preservation and safety: which if he be, he will have little time left for luxury and intemperance.

Here then, 1. A State or Kingdom, is compared to an House, as sometimes the Church is, 1 Cor. 3.9. Ephes. 2.21. & 3.15. Heb. 3.2—6. 1 Tim. 3.15. nothing more usual, then to call the Kingdom of Israel, The House of Israel, the House of Jacob, &c. Isa. 2.6. & 5.7. Luke 1.33. Obad. vers. 18.

Here then, 1. A State or Kingdome, is compared to an House, as sometimes the Church is, 1 Cor. 3.9. Ephes. 2.21. & 3.15. Heb. 3.2—6. 1 Tim. 3.15. nothing more usual, then to call the Kingdome of Israel, The House of Israel, the House of Jacob, &c. Isa. 2.6. & 5.7. Luke 1.33. Obad. vers. 18.

2. Princes are compared unto the Masters of the Family, and to those unto whom it belongeth to Heal and Repair the ruins and breaches in that great building, Isa. 3.7. Job 34.17. Isa. 58.12. & 61.4. As elsewhere to foundations, Psal. 82.5. [Greek or Hebrew] quasi [Greek or Hebrew]. to Coverings, Ezek. 28.16. to Bars, which keep a house from being broken open, Hos. 11.6. to the Coignes, or Corners in a Building, which keep the Compages of a structure together, Isa. 19.13.

2. Princes are compared unto the Masters of the Family, and to those unto whom it belongeth to Heal and Repair the ruines and breaches in that great building, Isa. 3.7. Job 34.17. Isa. 58.12. & 61.4. As elsewhere to foundations, Psal. 82.5. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 quasi 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. to Coverings, Ezek. 28.16. to Barrs, which keep a house from being broken open, Hos. 11.6. to the Coignes, or Corners in a Building, which keep the Compages of a structure together,