Annotations on the book of Ecclesiastes

By these Infirmities, we should be taught, in our younger years, to provide and lay in comforts against them, and not to trust in the strength of our own Arms, which are so easily broken, but to make the Lord our Arm, and his Right hand our Keeper, whose Arms are everlasting, Isa. 33.2. Deut. 33.27. Psal. 121.5. Not to rest upon our own bottom, nor stay only upon our own strength, by which no man shall be established, 1 Sam. 2.9. but to make the Lord our stay and support, in whom there is everlasting strength: He is eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame, he giveth power to the faint, and to them ⟨p. 368⟩that have no might, he increaseth strength, Psal. 18.18. Isai. 26.4. & 40.29. & 41.10. Psal. 145.14.

By these Infirmities, we should be taught, in our younger years, to provide and lay in comforts against them, and not to trust in the strength of our own Arms, which are so easily broken, but to make the Lord our Arm, and his Right hand our Keeper, whose Arms are everlasting, Isa. 33.2. Deut. 33.27. Psal. 121.5. Not to rest upon our own bottom, nor stay onely upon our own strength, by which no man shall be established, 1 Sam. 2.9. but to make the Lord our stay and support, in whom there is everlasting strength: He is eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame, he giveth power to the faint, and to them

V. 4. And the doors shall be shu• in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low] Various interpretations are given of these particulars. Some understand the first clause, literally, The doors of the house, by which he was wont to go into the streets, to visit his friends, to walk up and down about his business, shall be now shut up; He shall, by reason of his many infirmities, keep within doors, and abstain from all public meetings, wherein, in his younger years, he was wont greatly to delight. Others, refer it allegorically to the Body, here compared to an House, the doors whereof towards the street, are, in old age, shut up, and made useless. Whereby many things are understood, First, The two Lips, which are the doors of the mouth outwardly, Psal. 141.3. The word is in the dual number. Or, The Mouth, which is the door of the heart: This may be applied, both unto eating, and unto speech, unto the Oesophagus, and the Arteria, the passages for the meat to go down to the stomach, and for the breath to go to the ⟨p. 389⟩lungs, called fistula cibaria, and fistula spiritalis. These pipes are haply here compared unto the street, or passage down into several parts within the body, which have doors or covers, that open one way, and shut another way when we eat and drink, that our food may go right to the stomach, and not away to the lungs. These doors in old age are, through weakness, shut up, and as it were off from their hinges, do not so pliantly and readily do their proper office, as they were wont to do. Whence difficulty of swallowing, and difficulty of speaking; unto which two, most of the interpretations of this place may be referred. Some by these two d••rs, understand the Eye-lids, when they are weak, and hang down over the eyes. Others, All the Senses, which are the outward doors, by which objects enter, and are admitted to the Soul. All which, in old age, are so weakened, and unuseful, that they do very little service.

V. 4. And the doors shall be shu• in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low] Various interpretations are given of these particulars. Some understand the first clause, literally, The doors of the house, by which he was wont to go into the streets, to visit his friends, to walk up and down about his business, shall be now shut up; He shall, by reason of his many infirmities, keep within doors, and abstain from all publick meetings, wherein, in his younger years, he was wont greatly to delight. Others, refer it allegorically to the Body, here compared to an House, the doors whereof towards the street, are, in old age, shut up, and made useless. Whereby many things are understood, First, The two Lips, which are the doors of the mouth outwardly,

The next Clause, seems most to favour that sense, which, by Doors, understands the passages of the meat down into the stomach, and of the voice from the lungs, unto both which uses, the Teeth are greatly subservient.

and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird] At the chirping or singing of any little bird] An expression of the little sleep which old men have, by reason of the coldness of the stomach, and difficulty of Concoction, sending up fewer vapours to the brain, or less benign, so that they are easily awakened with every little noise. It may also be understood of his weariness to lye long in his bed, by reason of leanness and aches, so that ⟨p. 391⟩he is willing to rise as early as the birds leave their nests.

and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird] At the chirping or singing of any little bird] An expression of the little sleep which old men have, by reason of the coldness of the stomach, and difficulty of Concoction, sending up fewer vapours to the brain, or lesse benigne, so that they are easily awakened with every little noise. It may also be understood of his weariness to lye long in his bed, by reason of leannesse and aches, so that ⟨p. 391⟩he is willing to rise as early as the birds leave their nests.

and all the daughters of music shall be brought low.] By daughters of music, we may understand, First, Some organs of the body tending unto music, either to sing our selves, as the artery for speaking, those fibra vocals which are bended and inflected in singing; or the ear which judgeth of sounds, as the palate of meats, when we hear others sing; or secondly, All kind of musical consort and harmony, vocal or instrumental, which young men greatly delight in, as Solomon did, Eccl. 2.8. but to old men are little delightful, they can neither sing themselves, nor are greatly pleased with the music of others, 2 Sam. 19.34, 35. By these defects we are instructed in the days of our youth, to open all the doors of our heart to let Christ in, that in old age he may be with us, and when our appetite faileth us, he may sup with us, Rev. 3.20. and when our sleep faileth us, he may give us rest; and when all other delights are worn out, a good conscience may be a continual feast, Prov. 15.15▪ and may give songs in the night, Job 35.10. Eph. 5.19.

and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low.] By daughters of musick, we may understand, First, Some organs of the body tending unto musick, either to sing our selves, as the arterie for speaking, those fibra vocales which are bended and inflected in singing; or the ear which judgeth of sounds, as the palate of meats, when we hear others sing; or secondly, All kind of musical consort and harmony, vocal or instrumental, which young men greatly delight in, as Solomon did, Eccl. 2.8. but to old men are little delightful, they can neither sing themselves, nor are greatly pleased with the musick of others, 2 Sam. 19.34, 35. By these defects we are instructed in the daies of our youth, to open all the doors of our heart to let Christ in, that in old age he may be with us, and when our appetite faileth us, he may sup with us,

V. 5. Also when they shall be afraid of that which is High, and fears shall be in the ⟨p. 392⟩way, and the Almond-tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets.] These are further degrees of the infirmities of old age when it grows now more decrepit, and near unto the grave.

V. 5. Also when they shall be afraid of that which is High, and fears shall be in the ⟨p. 392⟩way, and the Almond-tree shall flourish, and the grashopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets.] These are further degrees of the infirmities of old age when it grows now more decrepit, and neer unto the grave.

Also when they shall be afraid of that which is High] Either to go up to any high place, for fear of weariness, or want of breath, or giddiness of brain, or disability to hold out, or danger of falling from it; or lest any thing that is over them should fall down upon them and hurt them.

and fears shall be in the way] They shall go slowly and timorously, lest they stumble at every stone or little bunch that is before them, lest they be thrust, and bruised by any that pass by them, lest weariness, sickness, or some other infirmity come upon them, and hinder them in their Journey, lest any thing run against them, and cast them down, no way is so smooth and easy, wherein there will not be something to affright them.

and fears shall be in the way] They shall go slowly and timorously, lest they stumble at every stone or little bunch that is before them, lest they be thrust, and bruized by any that pass by them, lest weariness, sickness, or some other infirmity come upon them, and hinder them in their Journey, lest any thing run against them, and cast them down, no way is so smooth and easie, wherein there will not be something to afright them.

and the Almond-tree shall flourish,] This some take literally, when the Almond flourisheth, in the beginning of the spring, when the grasshopper is fat in the middle of the Summer, then shall the desires and delights (which in those seasons young men were ⟨p. 393⟩wont to take) fail them, they shall find no pleasure in the most beautiful seasons of the year. And so they make the spring to be described by the flowering of the Almond-tree, which doth first bring forth blossoms, Jer. 1.11. and the Summer, by the fatness of the grasshopper, which then is most busy. Others understand it of Aversation from sensual desires, and from pleasant fruits, as we find in Vatablus and Caietan, Omnis Cibus suavis reprobabitur: flocci faciet coitum ob multam debilitatem. But he seemeth to carry on the Allegory, and to compare the speed which old age makes to overtake a man, unto the Almond-tree, which thrusts out her blossoms before any other tree. And as the flowers of the Almond are evident fore-runners of approaching Summer, so is old age of death, The most agreed sense is, of Grey hairs, which are here compared to the white flowers of an Almond-tree, and are called flores Caemiterii. So [Greek or Hebrew], in Sophocles, a white hoary head.

and the Almond-tree shall flourish,] This some take literally, when the Almond flourisheth, in the beginning of the spring, when the grashopper is fat in the middle of the Summer, then shall the desires and delights (which in those seasons young men were ⟨p. 393⟩wont to take) fail them, they shall find no pleasure in the most beautiful seasons of the year. And so they make the spring to be described by the flowring of the Almond-tree, which doth first bring forth blossoms, Jer. 1.11. and the Summer, by the fatness of the grashopper, which then is most busie. Others understand it of Aversation from sensual desires, and from pleasant fruits, as we find in Vatablus and Caietan, Omnis Cibus suavis reprobabitur: flocci faciet coitum ob multam debilitatem. But he seemeth to carry on the Allegory, and to compare the speed which old age makes to overtake a man, unto the Almond-tree, which thrusts out her blossoms before any other tree. And as the flowers of the Almond are evident fore-runners of approaching Summer, so is old age of death, The most agreed sense is, of Gray hairs, which are here compared to the white flowers of an Almond-tree, and are called flores Caemiterii. So , in Sophocles, a white hoary head.

and the grasshopper shall be a burden] The lightest hop of so little a creature shall be burdensome to him, he is impatient of any the smallest weight. Allegorically may be understood, either the bowing down of his ⟨p. 394⟩back, and the sticking out of the vertebrae and bones thereof, which shall be a heavy weight unto him. Or, the legs which in a young man were as nimble as the legs of a grasshopper, shall now be heavy and swelled with gouts and evil humours, so the Chaldee Paraphrase, the former sense is most general.

and the grashopper shall be a burthen] The lightest hop of so little a creature shall be burthensome to him, he is impatient of any the smallest weight. Allegorically may be understood, either the bowing down of his ⟨p. 394⟩back, and the sticking out of the vertebrae and bones thereof, which shall be a heavy weight unto him. Or, the legs which in a young man were as nimble as the legs of a grashopper, shall now be heavy and swell'd with gowts and evil humours, so the Chaldee Paraphrase, the former sense is most general.

And Desire shall fail] The Desires of meat, drink, marriage, other pleasures, whatever is delightful to the eyes, ears, palate, other senses, shall all fail: A man shall abhor those things which in youth his nature did greatly incline unto. Symmachus rendereth [Greek or Hebrew], shall be dissolved, so some understand it of the mutual Confederation between the soul and the body which will be loosened and broken. The Septuagint read it, [Greek or Hebrew]; which word the Vulgar Latin retaineth, being a shrub, whose fruit, Galen saith, is good for a weak appetite; and Avicen, ad irritandam Venerem: consonant whereunto is the Chaldee Paraphrase. Athenaeus numbereth Capparis amongst other hot and salacious herbs.

And Desire shall fail] The Desires of meat, drink, marriage, other pleasures, whatever is delightful to the eyes, ears, palate, other senses, shall all fail: A man shall abhor those things which in youth his nature did greatly incline unto. Symmachus rendreth 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, shall be dissolved, so some understand it of the mutual Confederation between the soul and the body which will be loosned and broken. The Septuagint read it, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉; which word the Vulgar Latin retaineth, being a shrub, whose fruit, Galen saith, is good for a weak appetite; and Avicen, ad irritandam Venerem: consonant whereunto is the Chaldee Paraphrase. Athenaeus numbreth Capparis amongst other hot and salacious herbs.

Because man goeth to his long home] Ad Dom•m Mundi sui, hic enim mundus non est ⟨p. 395⟩suus. So Caietan wittily, though impertinently, Domus Saeculi, The Long Home is the Grave, whence men are never more to return into this world any more. It is called a mans own and proper house, Isa. 14.18. They promise themselves Houses for ever here, Ps. 49.12. but they have no abiding home but in the grave, Job 7.10. The body is domus pernoctavionis, but the Grave Domus aeternitatis.

and the mourners go about the streets.] Accompany the Hearse unto the Grave, Jer. 9.17. Or his friends that visit him, go from him mourning, and expecting his funeral. So we read of wailing in all Streets, Amos, 5.16. Those hired mourners who with music were wont to praise the party deceased, (whereunto alludeth the Evangelist, Matth. 9.23.) we read of in Varro, lib. 6. de lingua latin. vid. Scalig. ib.

and the mourners go about the streets.] Accompany the Herse unto the Grave, Jer. 9.17. Or his friends that visit him, go from him mourning, and expecting his funeral. So we read of wailing in all Streets, Amos, 5.16. Those hired mourners who with musick were wont to praise the party deceased, (whereunto alludeth the Evangelist, Matth. 9.23.) we read of in Varro, lib. 6. de lingua latin. vid. Scalig. ib.

Now from these Infirmities we may be instructed to take care, that amidst our own fears we may be guarded by Angels, and led in our way, and upheld by the Lords right hand, who hath promised to give his Angels a charge to keep us in our ways, and to make his way plain before our eyes, that we may ⟨p. 396⟩have plain paths for our feet to walk in, and every high thing may be taken down, Ps. 34.7. Gen. 48.16. Ps. 91.11. Ps. 37.24. Prov. 15.19. Ps. 27.11. Ps. 5.8. Heb. 12.13. Isa. 40.4. Luke 3.4, 5, 6. 2 Cor. 10.5. to be trees of Righteousness, and then we shall bring forth fruit, and flourish in old age, Ps. 92.12, 13, 14. When we can bear no burden our selves, If the Lord be ours, we may cast all our burdens on him who careth for us, and will sustain us, Ps. 55.22. And when All other desires fail, Let us labour to be in such a preparation for death, as that we may say with Old Simeon, Lord now letterest thou thy servant depart in peace; and with Paul, I desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is best of all, Phil. 1.23. And since the grave is our longest home, let our greatest care be to have that a House of Rest and of Hope unto us; Christ by his lying in it hath sweetened it unto Believers. Lastly, let us so live, as that we may dye without fear, and they who bewail us, may not mourn as they who have no Hope,

V. 6. Or ever the silver Cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the Cistern.] Some understand this verse literally. ⟨p. 397⟩1. Of the ornaments. 2. Of the more needful instruments of life, whether they be more obvious and easy to come by, as to draw water out of a Fountain with a pitcher; or more remote, which are not gotten without labour and cost, as the drawing of water out of a deep Well with a wheel and a chain. And so the meaning runs thus, Remember thy Creator in the days of thy Youth, before God strip thee of thine ornaments wherein thou now rejoicest, Thy plate, chains, rings, jewels, bracelets, which will then be too heavy for thee to wear, nec sufferre potes majoris pondera g•mmae: 2. Before he spoil thee of the other Helps and Commodities of life, and make both thine extraordinary ornaments, and thine ordinary utensils all useless unto thee: or haply in this sense the former clause may relate unto rich men, Let not thy silver and gold bewitch thee: the later unto meaner men, Let not thy pitcher and thy wheel take thee off from minding the things of another and a better life. Others carry on the Allegory, making these things figurative and elegant expressions of death, and of those evils which immediately forego it, to wit, the dissolution of those parts which are most vital: for death, as in the storming or battering of a ⟨p. 398⟩Garrison, doth first break and weaken the out-works, the bodily limbs, and outward senses, and and after that sets upon the in-works, and the Vitals. He here compareth Life unto a Fountain, or Well, out of which men draw water with a Cord, a bowl, or bucket, a pitcher, and a wheel. And as when these are broken we can draw water no more, so when the Vital parts are decayed, there is no hope longer to draw life into the body which is the Cistern. This Life he compares, for the preciousness of it, unto silver and gold, for the weakness and fragility of it, unto a pitcher, and for the in••ability and unsettledness of it, unto a wheel.

V. 6. Or ever the silver Cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the Cistern.] Some understand this verse literally. ⟨p. 397⟩