Annotations on the book of Ecclesiastes

for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth] Embrace the present opportunity of doing good, thou canst not fore-see how soon thou mayst be deprived of it, since thou knowest not what a day may bring forth, Jam. 4.14. Prov. 27.1. & 3.27, 28. Luk. ⟨p. 359⟩12.20. Haply thou mayst dye, and leave thy wealth to those who will shut up their bowels against the poor; however, what they do shall not be put on thy account. Thou art a steward of thy estate, no longer than for thine own life; and therefore be thine own Executor, and consider the wants of the poor at present, therefore let not thy bounty be only future. Haply God may disable thee another time, from doing that good which now he puts into thy hand. It is wisdom to do Gods work in Gods time. Haply thou thy self mayst fall into want, and stand in need of help from others; therefore make thee friends of Mammon before hand, Luk. 16.9. Ps. 37.26. & 41.1, 2, 3. 1 Tim. 6.18, 19.

for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth] Embrace the present opportunity of doing good, thou canst not fore-see how soon thou mayst be deprived of it, since thou knowest not what a day may bring forth, Jam. 4.14. Prov. 27.1. & 3.27, 28. Luk. ⟨p. 359⟩

V. 3. If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall towards the South, or towards the North, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be] He urgeth the duty of charity and bounty, by elegant similitudes. Clouds that are full of moisture, do not keep it to themselves, but shed it forth in showers on the earth, and on all kind of corn, and herbs for the benefit of many; whence they are called the bottles of heaven, Job. 38.37. and the chambers of the Lord: Ps. 104.13. ⟨p. 360⟩from whence he poureth down rain according to the vapour thereof, Job. 36.27, 28. so should rich men, Prov. 11.25. whom the Lord hath filled with his blessings, as the Scripture useth to express it, Deut. 33.23. Job 22.18. Prov. 5.10. Deut. 6.11. Prov. 30.9. Phil. 4.12.18. not keep Gods blessings to themselves, but pour them forth upon those that are empty.

and if the tree fall, &c.] This some apply unto death, as if we were thereby warned to do good while we may, because death will at last cut us down, and deprive us of any further opportunity, Eccl. 9.10. Joh. 9.4. and as death leaves us, judgement will find us. But it seemeth rather to denote the benefit of charity unto the authors thereof, that wheresoever their bounty and mercy is placed, there it will be found again to their comfort; they shall not go without their reward, as the tree on which side ever it falls, it will there be found, when the owner thereof inquireth after it.

V. 5. As thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with Child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all] By our ignorance of the works of Gods providence, he warneth us to be diligent in embracing every present opportunity ⟨p. 362⟩of doing good, and not to defer or delay duty, till haply the Lord will put us out of all capacity to do it. This ignorance he proveth a minori, If we know not things more ordinary and familiar unto us, which happen every day, as the way of the spirit.] Symmachus rendereth it, of the wind, which way it comes and goes, how it riseth and slackneth, Joh. 3.8. Or how the soul comes into the body, and quickeneth it; so the Septuagint, [Greek or Hebrew]; Or, how the bones do grow; How the several parts of the body, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, some hard, some soft, are all shaped out of the same seed, Psal. 139.13—16. Job 10.10—13. Much less are we able to foresee the works of Gods providence, which are far off and exceeding deep, Chap. 7.24. Therefore since we know not what shall be to morrow, how God may dispose of our life or our estate▪ how long he may continue unto us opportunities of doing good, we ought not to defer or put off duty from time to time, but while we have a present season, to embrace it, Chap. 9.10. Gal. 6.10.

V. 5. As thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with Child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all] By our ignorance of the works of Gods providence, he warneth us to be diligent in embracing every present opportunity ⟨p. 362⟩of doing good, and not to defer or delay duty, till haply the Lord will put us out of all capacity to do it. This ignorance he proveth a minori, If we know not things more ordinary and familiar unto us, which happen every day, as the way of the spirit.] Symmachus rendreth it, of the wind, which way it comes and goes, how it riseth and slackneth,

V. 6. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good] He inferreth from the former doctrine ⟨p. 363⟩of the uncertainty of future events, an hortatory conclusion, to be doing good on all occasions, and to be assiduous and diligent in the work which God hath set us to do, whether all our labour take effect or no. The Lord being sometimes pleased to frustrate mens endeavours, and to defer the success they expected from them; First, to try them whether they would persevere in their calling: and continue therein with God, though they had not always alike encouragement. 2. To teach them, that successes depend not upon the labours of man, but upon the will and free blessing of God. And he persisteth in his former Metaphor of sowing seed; meaning thereby, First, in particular works of charity and mercy to the poor; as vers. 1—4. 2 Cor. 9.6. Ps. 112.9. Secondly, In general, works of righteousness in our general or particular callings, Prov. 11.18. Hos. 12.10. Thereby teaching us, that works of mercy and righteousness do not perish, but will bring forth an harvest of comfort, and great reward unto those that abound in them, Gal. 6.8.

V. 6. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withold not thy hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good] He inferreth from the former doctrine ⟨p. 363⟩of the uncertainty of future events, an hortatory conclusion, to be doing good on all occasions, and to be assiduous and dililigent in the work which God hath set us to do, whether all our labour take effect or no. The Lord being sometimes pleased to frustrate mens endeavours, and to defer the success they expected from them; First, to try them whether they would persevere in their calling: and continue therein with God, though they had not alwayes alike incouragement. 2. To teach them, that successes depend not upon the labours of man, but upon the will and free blessing of God. And he persisteth in his former Metaphor of sowing seed; meaning thereby, First, in particular works of charity and mercy to the poor; as vers. 1—4.

sow thy seed] Do thine own work, intend thine own calling, intermix not thy self in things which belong not unto thee, 2 Thess. 3.10. 1 Thess. 4.11. Be liberal of thine own estate, Ephes. 4.28.

In the morning sow—and in the evening withhold not thine hand, or let not thine hand rest or give over.] Begin betimes, and be not weary of well doing, but continue unto the end; be always doing of good, morning and evening, note the whole day from one end of it to the other, Gen. 1.5. Dan. 8.14. Psal. 104.22, 23. So Solomon bids us, be in the fear of the Lord all the day long, Prov. 23.17. It is to be understood of the morning and evening of a mans life, which should be wholly consecrated to God, Lam. 3.27. Eccles. 12.1. Psal. 92.14. Matth. 10.22. or of the morning and evening of a mans prosperity; as soon as ever God giveth thee an estate, begin to do good with it, and be not weary of so doing, but continue to the end. God requires our charity to be set about on the first day of the week, 1 Cor. 16.2. Gal. 6.9, 10. The night is shut out of the time of working, or of d•ty, therefore while it is day, while we have life and opportunity, we must ply our duties, Eccles. 9.10. Joh. 9.4.

In the morning sow—and in the evening withold not thine hand, or let not thine hand rest or give over.] Begin betimes, and be not weary of well doing, but continue unto the end; be alwayes doing of good, morning and evening, note the whole day from one end of it to the other,

for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, or whether will be most right, or congruous, the one or the other, &c.] Thou mayest justly expect a blessing upon all, however, though the success, as to men, be not always prosperous; sometimes thy bounty is misplaced ⟨p. 365⟩upon those that abuse it, or return evil for good, yet with God, constancy in well-doing will not miss of its reward; and by this largeness heart, thou mayest unawares entertain Angels, and bring extraordinary blessings upon thy family, Matth. 10.14, 42. Heb. 13.2. 1 Reg. 17.13 — 16.

for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, or whether will be most right, or congruous, the one or the other, &c.] Thou maiest justly expect a blessing upon all, however, though the success, as to men, be not alwa•es prosperous; sometimes thy bounty is misplaced ⟨p. 365⟩upon those that abuse it, or return evil for good, yet with God, constancy in well-doing will not miss of its reward; and by this largeness heart, thou maist unawares entertain Angels, and bring extraordinary blessings upon thy family, Matth. 10.14, 42. Heb. 13.2. 1 Reg. 17.13 — 16.

V. 7. Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun] By light, and beholding the Sun, we are to understand the time of this present life, as is evident by what follows in the next verse; so Job 3.20. & 33.30. and withal, we may take in those pleasures and comforts thereof, which serve to render it more sweet and contentfull. Some make it to be a tacit objection, against that continual labour which he before prescribed. Since life is short, we ought to use all the ways we can to render it pleasant, and not weary out our time and strength in continual toil and labour; it is much more sweet, to enjoy the light and pleasures of life while we may, 1 Cor. 15.32. whereunto they make the words of the next verse to be an answer; That when death comes, the good we have done will remain with us, but all our pleasures and delights will vanish into nothing. It may seem to relate unto the former verse, as well as to that which follows; sow your seed in the ⟨p. 366⟩morning, and in the evening, so long as you have the light of the Sun to guide you; for this is the chief comfort and sweetness of life, to be doing good while we have time & opportunity, because the days of death and darkness are coming, wherein we cannot work.

V. 7. Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun] By light, and beholding the Sun, we are to understand the time of this present life, as is evident by what follows in the next verse; so Job 3.20. & 33.30. and withall, we may take in those pleasures and comforts thereof, which serve to render it more sweet and contentfull. Some make it to be a tacit objection, against that continual labour which he before prescribed. Since life is short, we ought to use all the wayes we can to render it pleasant, and not weary out our time and strength in continual toyl and labour; it is much more sweet, to enjoy the light and pleasures of life while we may, 1 Cor. 15.32

But it seemeth rather to be a Transition unto a new matter. In the former parts of this book, the Wise man had set forth the vanity of all outward things, and had prescribed many gracious and excellent means to remedy the same, and to frame the heart of man unto Tranquillity and peace. But now when by these precepts the life of man here is rendered as full of comfort, and quietness, as an earthly condition is capable of, yet though his life be never so sweet, there are great evils coming, which will require much meditation and preparation of hear• to fit a man for them: and there is a far longer condition for the future, which will abide us after this life is gone; necessary therefore it is unto the completing of that happiness whereinto he had all this while inquired, to secure not only the comforts of this life, but the assurance of a better, which is the business of Solomon in the remaining part of this Book, by a timely meditation of death and judgement, and by the fear of God, and keeping his commandments in our youth, ⟨p. 367⟩to arm us against the terror of future evils, and to fit us for that happiness, which is the whole of man, and which will be throughly proportionable to his largest desires. And so the meaning is this, It is true indeed, to enjoy the light of the Sun, and the comforts of this present life, is a very sweet thing: Sensually sweet unto those, who are voluptuous; Solidly and substantially sweet unto those, who by all the foregoing precepts, have gotten wisdom to cure the vanity and vexation of spirit, which otherwise outward things are apt to produce; yet both the one and the other must remember, that though life be sweet under the Sun, yet it is not long, much less, perpetual; days of darkness are to come, therefore unto complete happiness there is yet more to be done, and such an estate to be secured, as may bear full proportion to the capacities of an immortal soul, and may make up the Whole of man.

But it seemeth rather to be a Transition unto a new matter. In the former parts of this book, the Wise man had set forth the vanity of all outward things, and had prescribed many gracious and excellent means to remedy the same, and to frame the heart of man unto Tranquillity and peace. But now when by these precepts the life of man here is rendred as full of comfort, and quietness, as an earthly condition is capable of, yet though his life be never so sweet, there are great evils coming, which will require much meditation and preparation of hear to fit a man for them: and there is a far longer condition for the future, which will abide us after this life is gone; necessary therefore it is unto the compleating of that happiness whereinto he had all this while inquired, to secure not only the comforts of this life, but the assurance of a better, which is the business of Solomon in the remaining part of this Book, by a timely meditation of death and judgement, and by the fear of God, and keeping his commandments in our youth,

Light is Sweet] Sweetness here is that properly which is the object of our Taste, Judg. 14.18. Prov. 24.13. but it is usual in the Scripture to attribute that which is proper unto one sense, to another; as to see thunder, Exod. 20.18. to see the smell •f a field, Gen. 27.27. It is a broken and concise sentence, unto which something is to be added or understood, it is indeed sweet ⟨p. 368⟩to see the Sun; life is pleasant, but yet it is vanity, and will end in death; by the meditation whereof, we are to abate our inordinate love of the profits and pleasures of so vanishing a condition.

Light is Sweet] Sweetness here is that properly which is the object of our Taste, J•dg. 14.18. Prov. 24.13. but it is usual in the Scripture to attribute that which is proper unto one sense, to another; as to see thunder, Exod. 20.18. to see the smell •f a field, Gen. 27.27. It is a broken and concise sentence, unto which something is to be added or understood, it is indeed sweet ⟨p. 368⟩to see the Sun; life is pleasant, but yet it is vanity, and will end in death; by the meditation whereof, we are to abate our inordinate love of the profits and pleasures of so vanishing a condition.

V. 8. But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all, yet let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that cometh is Vanity] Though it be a sweet thing to enjoy life, and the comforts thereof, and though a man should live long, and all that long life should have his full of worldly delights, yet the serious meditation of death, and the long abode we shall after all those pleasures have in the house of darkness, will sufficiently demonstrate the vanity of Temporal life, how long, or how prosperous soever it have been; such a life we find described, Job 21.7— 13. By days of darkness, are understood in opposition to light; and the seeing of the Sun, in the former verse, that space of time wherein men shall lie in the dust, Psal. 88.12, 13. Psal. 143.3. Eccles. 6.4. Job. 10.21.

V. 8. But if a man live many years, and rejoyce in them all, yet let him remember the dayes of darkness, for they shall be many. All that cometh is Vanity] Though it be a sweet thing to enjoy life, and the comforts thereof, and though a man should live long, and all that long life should have his full of worldly delights, yet the serious meditation of death, and the long abode we shall after all those pleasures have in the house of darkness, will sufficiently demonstrate the vanity of Temporal life, how long, or how prosperous soever it have been; such a life we find described, Job 21.7— 13. By dayes of darkness, are understood in opposition to light; and the seeing of the Sun, in the former verse, that space of time wherein men shall lie in the dust, Psal. 88.12, 13. Psal. 143.3. Eccles. 6.4. Job. 10.21

for they shall be many] This some apply to the first words of the verse, though the days of life be m•ny, yet let a man remember the days of darkness, and that will make him judge all things which happen in this world to be but vanity: we may likewise ⟨p. 369⟩read the words thus; If a man live many years, let him rejoice in them all, he is not debarred the comforts and contents of them, but let him withal temper and moderate the joys of life, with the meditation of death, and know that every thing which happeneth, that every man which cometh into the world is vanity.

for they shall be many] This some apply to the first words of the verse, though the dayes of life be m•ny, yet let a man remember the dayes of darkness, and that will make him judge all things which happen in this world to be but vanity: we may likewise ⟨p. 369⟩read the words thus; If a man live many years, let him rejoyce in them all, he is not debarred the comforts and contents of them, but let him withall temper and moderate the joyes of life, with the meditation of death, and know that every thing which hapneth, that every man which cometh into the world is vanity.

V. 9. Rejoice O young man in thy youth, and let thine heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: But know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement.] Since all that cometh is vanity, as well youth as age, both which he showeth here and in the next Chapter: And since the days of life and jollity here, how long soever, are very short and inconsiderable, in comparison of the days of darkness which follow after them, he therefore persuadeth those who are most subject to be transported with the pleasures of life, to remember death and judgement, and thereby to restrain their inordinate desires. A young Epicure, who is scornful and impatient of such cooling and chill doctrines as those of death and judgement, might be apt to say; if the days of darkness be so many, let us not make them more then they are by denying our selves the pleasures ⟨p. 370⟩of light, but let us freely indulge to our selves all our delights, and live to the length of our desires, 1 Cor. 15.32. whereunto Solomon answereth in these words, 1. By way of Concession, 2. By way of sad and severe premonition. The Concession some would have to be real and serious, as if he had said, I would not discourage thee from the use of lawful pleasures, nor debar thee such contents as the flower of thine age do call for: only I would have thee careful not to exceed the bounds of temperance and moderation, but by the vanity of things present, and certainty of future judgement, to compose thy mind to sobriety in enjoying, and to a readiness to depart from these vain delights, as Gal. 5.13. 1 Pet. 2.16. enjoy pleasures, but be not drowned in them; use honest delights, but be not a slave unto them: Thou seest that all here is Vanity, that the fashion of this world, the power, wealth, honour, pleasures, strength, health, beauties thereof, all vanish and pass away, & that all of us must be brought before Gods tribunal; and all our actions undergo a severe trial: therefore let it be thy chiefest care to provide for that account. But the place is much more Emphatical, if we understand the Concession Ironically; as 1 Reg. 18.27. & 22.15. Ezek. 28.3, 4

or, because thou art young, strong, healthful, and thy bones full of marrow, Job 21.23, 24.

or, because thou art young, strong, healthfull, and thy bones full of marrow, Job 21.23, 24.