Annotations on the book of Ecclesiastes

2. He commendeth it Comparatively, from the Vanity of all other studies and learning without this; All other Books are made without end or number, and read without Satisfaction or Content; by these a man may be admonished; by others he can be only wearied, vers. 12.

2. He commendeth it Comparatively, from the Vanity of all other studies and learning without this; All other Books are made without end or number, and read without Satisfaction or Content; by these a man may be admonished; by others he can be onely wearied, vers. 12.

And having thus demonstrated the Doctrine he had in this book delivered, he closeth the whole with a most grave and solemn conclusion, containing, 1. A summary abridgement of the means of perfect Happiness and Tranquility of mind, in two words, fear and obedience, fear of God in the heart, as the root; Obedience to his Will in the life, as the fruit of that holy fear, vers. 13.

And having thus demonstrated the Doctrine he had in this book delivered, he closeth the whole with a most grave and solemn conclusion, containing, 1. A summary abridgment of the means of perfect Happiness and Tranquility of mind, in two words, fear and obedience, fear of God in the heart, as the root; Obedience to his Will in the life, as the fruit of that holy fear, vers. 13.

2. A strong Motive thereunto drawn from the future Judgment, upon which and that final sentence of Absolution or Condemnation then to be pronounced, the everlasting Happiness or Misery of Man standeth, vers. 14. He will bring every work to Judgment, therefore keep his Commandments: He will bring every secret thing to judgment, therefore ⟨p. 377⟩fear him, and sanctify him in your hearts.

2. A strong Motive thereunto drawn from the future Judgment, upon which and that final sentence of Absolution or Condemnation then to be pronounced, the everlasting Happiness or Misery of Man standeth, vers. 14. He will bring every work to Judgment, therefore keep his Commandements: He will bring every secret thing to judgment, therefore ⟨p. 377⟩fear him, and sanctifie him in your hearts.

We find Two Psalms amongst Davids, with this Inscription, To bring to Remembrance, ⟨p. 378⟩so careful was he not to forget the dealings of God with him, Psal. 38.1. & 70.1. for this purpose were Sacraments instituted, Exod. 12.42. 1 Cor. 11.24. Festivals ordained to keep alive the memory of mercies, Esth. 9.27, 28. Stones and Monuments erected for •he remembering of Gods goodness, Josh. 4.6, 7. the Law written on door-posts, fringes, frontlets, to be kept ever in mind, Deut. 6.7, 8, 9. for this purpose God hath appointed his Ordinances, and given his Spirit to his Church, to put them in remembrance, 2 Pet. 1.12. 1 Tim. 4.6. Joh. 14.26.

We find Two Psalms amongst Davids, with this Inscription, To bring to Remembrance, ⟨p. 378⟩so careful was he not to forget the dealings of God with him, Psal. 38.1. & 70.1. for this purpose were Sacraments instituted, Exod. 12.42.

thy Creator] This word includeth many reasons, why God ought to be remembered and served by us.

thy Creator] This word includeth many reasons, why God ought to be remembred and served by us.

1. He made us, and not we our selves, and we owe our service to him from whom we receive our Being, Psal. 100.2, 3. Remember he made all things for himself, we are of him, therefore we must live to him, Prov. 16.4. Isa. 43.21. Rom. 11.36. & 14.7, 8.

2. He made us after his own Image, to know him, and to have special interest in him, and acquaintance with him; and being made like him, we are the more obliged unto his service, Eph. 4.23, 24.

3. By that Power which created us, we are continually preserved; if he withdraw ⟨p. 379⟩it, we presently perish, In him we live, and move, and have our being. The more vigour and strength we have, the more sensible we should be of that Divine supportance, which continueth it unto us, Act. 17.27—30. Psal. 104.28, 29.

4. He who hath power to create, hath power to destroy; and he will show the same Almighty power, in destroying those, who live not suitably to the ends of their Creation, 1 Sam. 2.6, 8. 2 Thess. 1.9. This creating power of God, should teach us to fear him. Jer. 5.22.

4. He who hath power to create, hath power to destroy; and he will shew the same Almighty power, in destroying those, who live not suteably to the ends of their Creation, 1 Sam. 2.6, 8. 2 Thess. 1.9. This creating power of God, should teach us to fear him. Jer. 5.22.

in the days of thy youth] The choicest time of thy life, Lam. 3.27. Prov. 22.6. 2 Chron. 34.1, 2, 3. 2 Tim. 3.15. Psal. 119.9. therefore God required, that the first ripe fruits should be dedicated unto him, Exod. 23.19. and the first born, Exod. 22.29. And his sacrifices he would have to be young, Exod. 12.5. & 29.1. Lev. 4.3. We enjoy mercies in our youth, therefore we should do duty in our youth; we expect eternal life from God, therefore we should not withdraw any part of our temporal life from him. He requireth to be served with all our strength, therefore we may not put him off till our strength is gone.

in the dayes of thy youth] The choicest time of thy life, Lam. 3.27. Prov. 22.6. 2 Chron. 34.1, 2, 3. 2 Tim. 3.15. Psal. 119.9. therefore God required, that the first ripe fruits should be dedicated unto him, Exod. 23.19. and the first born, Exod. 22.29

before the evil days come, &c.] If thou ⟨p. 380⟩wilt have God to pity and help thee in thy evil days, thou must serve him in thy good days. The days of old age, are called evil days, aetas mala, in Plautus, because they bring many pains and troubles along with them: vitae hyems, the Winter of our life, as Solon called it, nam res plurimas, pessimas cum advenit affert. As the days of youth are called, aetas bona, in Cicero, and aetas optima in Seneca: Because then nature is strong and vigorous, and doth most fully enjoy it self. Thine old age will bring evils enough of its own, Do not thou bring upon it the bitterness and burden of all thy youthful follies; repentance is a hard work, when thy sins are fewer, and thy strength greater: When infirmities bend thy back, do not keep thine iniquities to break it. Since the days of old age will be evil days, Lay up as many graces as thou canst to sweeten it, as many comforts as thou canst to strengthen thine heart against the evils of it. Gather, in Summer, against such a Winter as this, Prov. 10.5. That old age may not be to thee an evil age, but as it was to Abraham, a good old age, Gen. 25.8.

before the evil dayes come, &c.] If thou ⟨p. 380⟩wilt have God to pity and help thee in thy evil dayes, thou must serve him in thy good dayes. The dayes of old age, are called evil dayes, aetas mala, in Plautus, because they bring many pains and troubles along with them: vitae hyems, the W•nter of our life, as Solon called it, nam res plurimas, pessimas cum advenit affert. As the dayes of youth are called, aetas bona, in Cicero, and aetas optima in Seneca: Because then nature is strong and vigorous, and doth most fully enjoy it self. Thine old age will bring evils enough of its own, Do not thou bring upon it the bitterness and burden of all thy youthful follies; repentance is a hard work, when thy sins are fewer, and thy strength greater: When infirmities bend thy back, do not keep thine iniquities to break it. Since the dayes of old age will be evil dayes, Lay up as many graces as thou canst to sweeten it, as many comforts as thou canst to strengthen thine heart against the evils of it. Gather, in Summer, against such a Winter as this,

And the years wherein thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them] This seems to be added, as an aggravation of the evil of those ⟨p. 381⟩evil days, that if they be lengthened into years, yet all that while a man can find no matter of pleasure or content, whole years together shall be full of weariness and sorrow. So Job complains of the length of his misery, that he possessed months of vanity, Job 7.3. and Hezekiah, Isai. 38.12, 13, 15. The very strength of the years of an old man, is all labour and sorrow, Psal. 90.10.

And the years wherein thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them] This seems to be added, as an aggravation of the evil of those ⟨p. 381⟩evil dayes, that if they be lengthened into years, yet all that while a man can finde no matter of pleasure or content, whole years together shall be full of weariness and sorrow. So Job complains of the length of his misery, that he possessed moneths of vanity, Job 7.3. and Ezekiah, Isai. 38.12, 13, 15. The very strength of the years of an old man, is all labour and sorrow, Psal. 90.10.

V. 2. While the Sun, or the light, or the Moon, or the Stars be not darkened: nor the clouds return after the rain] These words may be understood either Literally, or Allegorically, as those that follow. Literally, the meaning is, That unto old men, by reason of the decay of their senses, even the lightest bodies seem to be darkened; they look upon the Sun at noon through the clouds and scales which are over their own eyes. And whereas it is a pleasant thing to behold the Sun, Chap. 11.7. this shall minister no delight at all unto them: Light is little worth unto a man that is in misery, Job 3.20, 23. Allegorically, It is by some understood so, as that the Sun, Moon, Stars, Light, may refer unto some parts in man, signified thereby; (as the other parts of the Allegory ensuing do) and thus: First, the Chaldee Paraphrase referreth it unto the face, and eyes; ⟨p. 382⟩Before the glory and beauty of thy face be changed, and the light of thine eyes be darkened, and the comeliness of thy cheeks be abated, and the Apples of thine eyes, the Stars of thy countenance be extinguished; and thine eye-lids drop down tears, as Clouds after rain. Secondly, others understand it of the weakening of the inward vigour of the Soul, and rational faculties; Understanding, Perspicacy, Memory, Judgment, Fancy; all which in the nature of man, answer to the celestial Lights. Others, by Sun, Moon, Stars, and Light, understand the various sorts and degrees of prosperity and joy, which men meet with in their younger years: and so the sense to be, Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before those evil days come; wherein all thy light shall be turned into darkness, all thy prosperity into sorrow, before greater and lesser comforts do all fail thee, and thy days and nights be full of trouble and darkness, one calamity (like storms in the Winter) coming upon the neck of another. Prosperity is usually in Scripture compared unto the Sun, and to light, Judg. 5.31. 2 Sam. 23.4. and in greater prosperity, then usual the light of the Moon is said to be as the light of the Sun, and the light of the Sun seven fold, Isai. 30.26. & 60.20

4.23, 24. & 15.9. Ezek. 32.7, 8. Joel 2.10. & 3.15. Amos 8.9. Matth. 24.29. And this sense seemeth most genuine, as expressing the reason, why the days of old age are evil days, and years wherein a man hath no pleasure, because, both day and night, the life of such a man is full of darkness and trouble. Therefore mention is made of Sun, and of Moon and Stars, to note the incessant pains, aches, troubles, weaknesses which this age is afflicted with, Job. 7.4, 13, 14, 18, 19. Psal. 32.4.

4.23, 24. & 15.9. Ezek. 32.7, 8. Joel 2.10. & 3.15. Amos 8.9. Matth. 24.29. And this sense seemeth most genuine, as expressing the reason, why the days of old age are evil days, and years wherein a man hath no pleasure, because, both day and night, the life of such a man is full of darknesse and trouble. Therefore mention is made of Sunne, and of Moon and Starrs, to note the incessant pains, aches, troubles, weaknesses which this age is afflicted with, Job. 7.4, 13, 14, 18, 19. Psal. 32.4.

nor the clouds return after rain] This likewise may be understood generally of the troubles of old age; in the former sense, to no•e the continual returns of them day and night. A proverbial speech, expressing the constant succession of one grief, pain, disease, calamity, after another; as when the Weather is set in to rain, one cloud is no sooner blown over, but another ucceeds and brings more rain. Velut unda supervenit undae. Others, understand it of the Catarrhs, and defluxions, which by reason of natural weakness, and ⟨p. 384⟩want of heat to concoct them, do still ascend from the stomach to the head, and from thence fall down upon the breast and lungs; so that the head is ever rainy, never serene.

nor the clouds return after rain] This likewise may be understood generally of the troubles of old age; in the former sense, to no•e the continual returns of them day and night. A proverbial speech, expressing the constant succession of one grief, pain, disease, calamity, after another; as when the Wether is set in to rain, one cloud is no sooner blown over, but another ucceeds and brings more rain. Velut unda supervenit undae. Others, understand it of the Catarrhs, and defluxions, which by reason of natural weaknesse, and ⟨p. 384⟩want of heat to concoct them, do still ascend from the stomack to the head, and from thence fall down upon the breast and lungs; so that the head is ever rainy, never serene.